Kisses, Candy Corn, and Lace Panties
by i-need-blood-to-live
Summary: with new emotions arising, the new teenagers, Lock, Shock and Barrel, are faced with surprising adventures and issues they must now face and overcome. LockXShock. Please R&R. FINISHED!
1. Halloween Night

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these NBC characters..(unfortunately) R&R :)  
Rated T for language and some content..  
Please no flames!

Chapter 1: Halloween

Shock's P.O.V

"Shock! Hurry up!" Lock called as he banged his fists on my door. "Cool it you lard!" I called back at him. "I'll be ready when i'm ready!" I listened as Lock's footsteps stomped away down the hall.  
I rolled my eyes before turning back to the mirror. I squinted threw the dust and shattered parts of it at the obstructed veiw of my face. I sighed before touching on the last of my makeup and then placing my mask over my face. There, I was all ready. It was Halloween night, and Lock, Barrel and I only had about an hour before the traditional ceremony began. Might as well get going.  
I opened my door and padded down the hall into the living room. Barrel sat on the tiny couch, and Lock paced the floor. They were both in their costumes, which had been altered slightly from the original ones with our growing and changing. When Barrel saw me, he leapt up off the couch and grabbed the black garbage bag he used to carry his candy.  
"Finally!" growled Lock, he too grabbing his garbage bag, and throwing one at me. "Here." he said. "Now lets GO.''  
"Eesh, okay, calm down before you start hyperventilating." Lock glared at me and then stormed over to the cage.  
"We ready?" he called. Barrel and I didn't bother answering, instead joining Lock in the cage elevator, which was beginning to become a bit small. Lock pulled the rope and the elevator went down, its rusty chain clanging eerily. Barrel swung the door open and leaped out onto the rickety bridge, Lock and I close behind. We walked up the gray-grassed hill in silence, and at the top, we all paused to survey the scene below us. There were kids everywhere, running from house to house in groups of 3 or more, ghosts hiding in alleyways, waiting to whoosh out and scare unsuspecting folk. The creatures of Halloween Town were wild, some preparing for the coming ceremony, others just wandering about. "Oh man, lets do this!" Lock grinned evily.  
"Yeah, candy!" Barrel agreed enthusiastically. I licked my lips, hardly able to contain myself with the thoughts of all the candy we would recieve and the scares we would deliver. Without warning, I took off down the hill, my hair and dress whipping out behind me in the chilly wind. I heard Barrels heavy footsteps behind me, as well as Locks. When I got to the bottom of the hill, I slowed until I came to a complete stop in front of the gates, which were open. I waited until Lock and Barrel were next to me, before heading through the gates. "Who's house to first?" Lock asked eagerly.  
"Anyones!" I replied back. "We have all night to visit every single one!"  
"Man we are guna get SO much candy!" Barrel squealed delightedly.  
"Yeah, now lets go! We've gotta hit as many houses as we can before the ceremony starts." I told them, and led the direction to the first house. We walked up the driveway and paused on the porch. Lock banged his fists on the door until a Corpse man opened it up and held out a bowl of candy. "Trick or treat!" we chimed.  
"Take one please." The corpse man smiled at us. We all dug our hands into the bowl.  
"I said one!" he scolded, wrenching the bowl back. We snickered and dropped the handful of candy into our bags. The corpse man muttered and slammed the door closed. We dashed to the next house. It only had a bowl of candy sitting on a tiny stone table by the door, and a note card propped up saying "No more than 2 peices." Lock grinned at me and Barrel mischeviously, before picking up the bowl and dumping a third of it's contents into his sack. Barrel and I did the same, leaving the bowl empty and overturned on the ground. We skipped from house to house, greedily grabbing candy from people and snatching it from other kids. A few times Lock and Barrel would hold a kid down while I dumped their candy into our garbage bags. Of course, with recieving all our treats, we didn't forget to pull a few pranks too. When a clown opened the door to us, we yelled "TRICK!" simultaniously before blasting him with silly string. A few houses down, we threw a stinkbomb through an open window, hiding in the bushes as we laughed our heads off and listened to the disgusted shrieks of the unfortunate suckers inside. We also egged the door of Jack and Sally's house, and toilet papered the mayors house. Lock and Barrel used spraypaint to draw a giant pair of boobs on an alley wall,  
much to my disgust.  
"You guys are such perverted idiots." I commented as they snickered and ditched the empty cans next to a trash can, rather than in it.  
"Shut up, it's time for the ceremony." Lock said before leading us through the crowd that had gathered by the gates. A familiar tune had picked up, and everyone began to sing the infamous pumpkin song. I swayed to the beat and quietly swung a few lines to myself,  
and I heard Lock humming the tune. Barrel, however, was being his dumb-assed self again and was wildly, and LOUDLY, singing the song along with everyone else. "THIS IS HALLOWEEN, THIS IS HALLOWEEN, PUMPKINS SCREAM IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT! THIS IS HALLOWEEN EVERYBODY-" Lock cut Barrel off by elbowing him in the ribs.  
"Ouch, hey!" Barrel yelped.  
"Just shut up, will ya?" Lock asked. Barrel mumbled something about Lock being a party pooper, but remained quiet. Like every year, Behemoth led in a wooden horse with Jack Skellington dressed as a scarecrow on top into the crowd. The crowd continued to sing as Jack swept down and grabbed a torch from a delighted citizens' hand before swallowing the flames. He then proceeded to stand up and dance, teetering precariously on the horses' back, but never falling. When I had been littler, I would watch him do this in fascintation, wondering how he could be so nimble. I would go home and try to copy what he did on a tree branch outside our house, but that event soon ended when one time I had been doing pretty good, until Lock had come out and asked me what I was doing, and I fell out of the tree in embaressment and shame at being caught, only to be humiliated even further when I landed sharply on my arm, breaking it. I had been a source for Locks jokes for weeks. I hadn't been as fascinated with Jack's preformance ever since. I watched with little interest as Jack Skellington lept off the horse and into a fountain oozing green slime,  
and then rose out, like a pheonix being reborn from it's ashes. The crowd cheered and sang and clapped as Jack stepped out of the fountain, greeted by Sally and the mayor. The mayor and Jack gave a speech, which I completely ignored, instead taking the time to count my candy. A few people shoved into me in a hurry to make their ways towards Jack, but it was enough to piss me off.  
"C'mere." I hissed at Lock and Barrel, who looked up from their garbage bags questioningly. "I know a place with a better veiw." I said, before leading them to a tall stone wall and standing before it.  
"Well?" Lock asked.  
"What?" I said. "This is it?"  
"You have to climb it, doofus." "Oh, okay." Lock nodded, then stood there. Barrel, on the other hand, began scrambling up the wall.  
"Well?" asked Lock, again.  
"WHAT?" I spit back, annoyed. "You going to climb it or what?" he asked, with annoyance apparent in his voice as well.  
"No way! I go up last." I glared, crossing my arms.  
"Why?" Lock asked, seeming confused "I don't want your pervy ass looking up my dress!" I shouted.  
"Oh my god, Shock. Do you honestly think i'd look up your stupid dress?" Lock glared at me.  
"I dunno, but I aint going to chance it. Now UP!" I pointed at him, then the wall. Lock rolled his eyes and began to climb it.  
"You can such a stupid girl sometimes." He grumbled. I ignored him. When he was on top of the wall, he glared down at me.  
I began climbing the wall and was quickly at the top. A few moments later, Barrel appeared on top of the wall too, huffing. I tried to conceal my laughter in my palm, he had started climbing before any of us, and still managed to make it to the top last.  
"This IS a great veiw." Barrel chimed after he caught his breath. "Yeah." I agreed. We could see the whole ceremony from up here, with no tall people blocking our veiw and shoving us around.  
The mayor waddled up onto the podium and grabbed his mic that was attached to his car.  
"Oh great," Lock mumbled. "Just in time for the awards."


	2. The Award

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these NBC characters..(unfortunately) R&R Please no flames! (Sorry about the parts where it goes to a new paragraph in the middle of a sentence, my computer is messed up, please forgive!)  
Reviews are appreciated ^_^ Authors note: sorry if it starts out slow, it gets better, I promise!

Chapter 2: The Award

Lock's P.O.V

"The first award.." The mayor started, his voice echoing around us gently. "Goes to the vampire! For most blood drained in a single evening!" The crowd clapped. This was the part where I tuned out the rest of the world. I dug around in my candy sack, searching for the right treat to satisfy my sweet tooth. I pulled out a red jawbreaker and popped it into my mouth. It tasted like cinnamon.

"Why do we even stay for the awards?" I asked around my jawbreaker. "It's the same thing every year. First award goes to the vampire, the rest go to Jack Skellington and his family."

"Shutup." Shock said, scruntinizing the Mayor.

"What ever." I rolled my eyes and continued to suck on my jawbreaker. Sure enough, I was right. Best single scare goes to Jack.  
Best couple scare goes to Jack and Sally. Most frightening faces goes to Jack...Yippee freaking kiyay. This was interesting. Barrel obviously was as into it as I was, because when I looked over at him he was snoring, his head titled back and his mouth slightly open.

"This sucks, Shock. Seriously, can we go?"

"NO." she snapped. I shrugged, wondering how she found these awards so worth while.

"Best group scare goes to.." The Mayor grinned and he opened the envelope. "Lock, Shock, and Barrel! Wait..what?" The Mayors face turned into his sad/nervous/angry face.

"Lock, Shock, and Barrel?'' he repeated skeptically. "There must be some mistake!" The Mayor turned to Jack, as he often did when he couldn't figure someting out, as if he could help. Jack was grinning as he made his way onto the podium and read the card silently to himself.

"Yes, Mayor, it IS Lock, Shock and Barrel! How grand!" The Mayor didn't seem to feel as if it was ''grand" at all.

"Jack, this award should belong to YOU and your FAMILY, perhaps this card was accidently placed in the wrong envelope. Maybe it was meant to go in the Worst Children of the Year award envelope." The Mayor scanned the crowd, glaring.

"Now, now, Mayor." Jack grinned. "The card NEVER lies! This award goes to Lock, Shock, and Barrel!"  
I turned to see how Shock was taking this. Her stormy gray eyes were lit up, and a smile played across her thin lips. I turned to my other side to see Barrel, who was still asleep. I kicked him in the shin.

"Wha-what?" he asked, dazed.

"Lock, Shock, and Barrel, where are you? Come get your award!" Jack called cheerily from the podium.

"That's us!" squealed Shock. She then began to scramble down the rock wall. Barrel and I followed. Half way down, Barrel lost his grip and toppled to the ground with a heavy thud. I sniggered, and jumped down, landing in a crouch before straightening up. Shock jumped too, holding onto the hem of her short dress to keep it from flying up and exposing her undergarments. Too bad, I thought to myself, I would've liked to see those. I waited patiently as Shock helped Barrel up off the ground. By now the whole town had turned around to stare at us. I shifted my candy sack uncomfortable to my other hand.

"Well, let's go!" I said nervously, I hated being watched.

"What?" asked Shock in disbelief. "No! We have to get our award!"

"That's where I meant we were going, doofus." I said to her.

"Oh."

I led the way through the crowd, up onto the podium. Jack smiled and handed us our trophy, which was piled high and practically overflowing with candy.

"Good job, you guys." Jack said to us.

"Uh, thanks." I whispered, blushing. Then I held our trophy high above my head for everyone to see. There was polite clapping. I glanced over at Shock, who was waving like a movie star, seeming to enjoy her moment of fame (if that's what you called it). Barrel eyed the trophy candy greedily. I led the way off the stage when the Mayor began announcing the next prize winner. Shock seemed disappointed. We made out way back to the wall, before stopping.

"Gimme gimme candy!" Barrel squealed hyperly.

"Gimme gimme TROPHY!" Shock ordered, swiping at the trophy. I swept it out of her reach. She stood on her tiptoes and leaned across me, stretching for a moment. Her hair was so close I could smell it, a gentle mix between lavender and peppermint and something else, too. God she smelled good. Finally she rested back down on her feet, placing her hands on her narrow hips.

"Give me the trophy, Lock." she ordered.

"No." I grinned at her devilishly. "What if I want it?"

"Oh puh-lease, you didn't even want to stay for the award ceremony. I did, and just because we got an award suddenly you want to keep it?"

"Yes." I said smugly.

"Uhgg." she groaned, tugging down the hem of her dress. "Give it." She demanded.

"No."

"Lock, i'm not messing around, give it here."

"No."

"Give. It. To. Me."

"Nope."

"Lock, you son of a bitch, give me the godddamn trophy!" she shrieked.

"No." I replied, grinning. I could tell she was ticked off, but I didn't care. It was funny. She glared at me for a moment, her eyes slicing mine like daggars. Then she charged.  
She jumped onto my back, wrapping her legs around my stomach. She used one hand to grab hold of my horns and the other to flail towards the trophy. I held it foward, but she pushed my head down in an effort to reach it.

"Ow, ow, ow! Shock, oww!" I moaned.

She ignored me. I heard her panting as she struggled to stay on my back, for I had began to spin, jump, kick, anything to get her off.  
Although I admit a part of my was glad she had such a strong grip. I tried to reach my hand around to slap her, but my arm couldn't reach. She continued to grab at the trophy. I knew I would probably pay for this, but it was most likely the only way to get her off, resulting in my keeping of the trophy. I slid my tail under her dress and playfully slapped her ass.

"Lock!" she shrieked, toppling off my back and hitting the ground. I whirled around, bringing the trophy down to my chest. In an instant she was on her feet again, her face blushing bright red and her eyes spitting knives. If looks could kill, I would probably be dead.

"You-you stupid pervert!" she screeched at me. I did my best not to laugh. Barrel, on the other hand, was rolling on the ground, tears falling down his face.

"Oh man! This is great stuff! GREAT! Just hilarious. Oh man." He gasped through his laughs, gripping his sides. Shock whipped around to glare at him, but he didn't seem to notice.

"We are going home." she spat at me. "NOW." I shrugged my shoulders, still grinning, and picked up my bag of candy off the ground where i'd dropped it. I held out a hand to Barrel, and hoisted him up. Shock stormed ahead of us, while Barrel and I trailed behind.

"Nice man." Barrel fist bumped me.

"Yeah." I replied, grinning. "I know." For the rest of the walk back to our treehouse home, I stared at the ass I had just slapped with my tail. It was pretty nice.


	3. Worst Halloween Ever

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these NBC characters..(unfortunately) R&R :) (Again, sorry if anything comes out weird, stupid computer) Rated T for language and some content..  
Please no flames! Review..hehe ^_^ Author note: I came up with all of the ideas in this fanfic myself. If this sounds like any other fanfic you've read, then sorry but I didn't copy anything. These are all 112% genuine ideas from the stupid brain inside my skull. So anyways, read on!

Chapter 3: Worst Halloween Night Ever

Barrel's P.O.V

When we finally made it to the treehouse, Shock waited until both Lock and I had stepping into the elevator before getting in herself,  
careful to place me squarly in between her and Lock.

"Awh, Shock come on. You can't still be pissed about-"

"Shut up Lock." Shock interrupted, holding up a hand to silence him. Lock huffed and crossed his arms. When the cage screeched to a halt, Shock budged past me and voilently pushed the door open. She stomped the whole way to her room.

"Shock! Seriously! Don't be so mad.." Lock tried to call after her, but the only response he recieved was the slamming of Shocks door and a loud crack of wood, probably the doorframe cracking underneath the force of Shocks' slam. Lock let out a heavy sigh.

"Dude, she's pissed." I said to Lock, splaying out on the couch and plucking a lollipop out of my candy bag. Lock whipped his head up to look at me.

"Yeah, no shit sherlock."

"Hey, calm down. Just because YOU pissed of your girlfriend doesn't mean you can take it out on me."

"I know, I know sorry man- wait, what did you say?" Lock asked, his tailing flicking. I shrugged my shoulders. I knew he had heard me.

"Did you just say Shock was my GIRLFRIEND?" he spat out, his voice low. I popped the lollipop into my mouth so I wouldn't have to answer his question.

"Okay, dude, get this straight. Shock is not my girlfriend, nor will she ever be, nor will I want her to be, because I DO NOT LIKE HER." His voice wasn't loud, but it had enough venom in it to kill a scorpian.

"Oookay man. Cool it, it was a joke." I said, but it came out slightly distorted due to my lollipop.

"Whatever. I don't like her." he said, before stomping away.

Lock and Shock happened to think I was stupid. On the contrary, I had quite the brain. I often came up with the best plans, although Lock liked to take credit for them. I was pretty good at math, but that was about the only "school subject" I was good at. Mostly, I was street smart. And candy smart. Yes, deffinitly candy smart.  
I knew how to make my candy last, and how to cunningly steal from Lock and Shock's stashes, and frame the other so they would get into fights, providing me entertainment. I also could read people, somewhat. Mostly, I could read Lock and Shock. Like I knew for a fact that Lock liked Shock, maybe even loved her. He thinks no one knows, that he cunningly hides his secret emotions,  
but he is wrong. I have found several items of proof on his love for her, as well as just observing the way he acts around her. He has a "journal" *coughdiarycough* that I once found and went through. Several pages were devoted to Shock. Actually, almost the entire thing had her in it. There were crude sketches of her, of her with him, page after page filled with describing her. One page was devoted completely to her hair. Another to her breasts (typical Lock).

He also kept secret things of hers he either stole or found lying around, or casually retrieved. He hid them in a shoebox, which I knew, happened to be located on the top shelf of his closet, underneath a stack of comic books and behind an action figure of Jack Skellington.

He was absolutely obsessed with her.

Shocks CD player began to blare just then, cutting of my trian of thought and replacing it with dismal lyrics. She always played loud,  
screamo music when she was mad, angry, depressed, or just whenever she wanted. Although she was beginning to grow a taste for more "girly" music, as I would call it.

"Let the bodies hit the floor. Let the bodies hit the floor. Let the bodies hit the floor. Let the bodies hit the.."

There was a slight pause in the music, and the ching of symbols, and then the singer began screaming.

"FLOOOOOOOOORRR!"

The soft whisper became a screeching scream, while in the background a band beat and thrashed on their intruments.  
Shock had good taste in music, I'll give her that. A few minutes later, I heard the water begin to run, Lock must be in the shower. I sighed and waited patiently, sucking on my lollipop and flipping through the few random channels we recieved. We got about 8 channels, but not exactly in that order. It started at 1, then jumped to 11, then 239, then 315, and so forth. The last channel we recieved was 666, what a coincidence. I could barely make out a picture on the jumpy screen. When I finished my lollipop, I tossed the wet stick on the floor.

Lock came out a few minutes later, dripping wet, in a gray tee-shirt and red boxers.

"Hey Lock!" I exclaimed. He nearly jumped. "Wana have a candy eating contest?" I was practically bouncing in excitement.

Lock just looked at me. "No."

I frowned. "Why not?"

"Remember what happened last time?" he asked, almost mockingly. I did remember.

Two years back, Lock, Shock and I had engaged in a candy eating war. We not only cleared nearly all of our candy, but we had to keep shoving eachother out of the way to make it to the toilet first. We all puked up our guts.

"Maybe that won't happen this time." I suggested feebly. Lock scoffed and sat down on the cold ground. We sat in silence for a few moments, and then Lock opened his mouth as if to say something. Which he did, after a pause.

"Barrel?" he asked uncertainly.

"Yeah?" I replied, hoping he would tell me I was right and we should eat candy until we barf. I was not that lucky, however.

"How do I get Shock to be...un-mad at me?"

Shock again? I get it, the boy liked her, but really? Could he stop thinking about her for two seconds maybe? It was my turn to make the scoffing noise. Lock was quick to jump to his defense.

"It's just 'cause, you know, I hate fighting, and plus if she's not mad at me maybe i'll get some of her candy."

Since when did Lock hate fighting?

I rolled over and off the couch, standing up clumsily.

"Just give her the trophy." I said, sighing.

"I'm going to my room. If you need me, that's where i'll be. So try not to need me." I stomped away, pissed. This Halloween was turning out to suck. All Lock could think about was Shock. It was like he didn't even care about the candy! Uhg, was I the only one who still appreciated the sweets Halloween Town offered? I slammed my door and superman flew onto my bed. I curled into a ball and stuffed a new lollipop in my mouth.

Well, this sucked.

Lock's P.O.V

Shock was STILL not talking to me. I'd given her time to cool off and listen to her music (which was still blaring). Why couldn't she just come out already?

Why couldn't girls be easier to understand?

Why couldn't I seem to figure out Shock, even though i'd known and liked her for so long?

Why didn't I stop babbling and give her the trophy?

I pushed myself up off the floor, and padded to my room. I picked up the trophy off my bed, I had all ready emptied it of its candy contents. I shined it briefly on my shirt, then headed to Shock's room. I paused outside her door.

What if she didn't answer?

What if she DID?

What if she started screaming at me?

What if she started beating me up?

What if none of that even happens?

Why can't I just knock on her door?

What's stopping me?

Why am I such a coward when it comes to her?

Never know until you try.

I took a deep breath and knocked three times on Shocks' door.


	4. The Trophy and a Song

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these NBC characters..(unfortunately) R&R :) (Again, sorry if anything comes out weird, stupid computer) Rated T for language and some content..  
Please no flames! Review..hehe ^_^ Author note: SPECIAL THANKS TO: Artemis' hunters! And Pinnapplepie :) Thanks for the reviews

Chapter 4: The Trophy and a Song

Locks P.O.V

I waited nervously as I heard a dull thud from inside her room.

"Come in." I heard her say, barely audible over the pounding music.

I was about to open the door when she said something else, stopping me.

"Unless your Lock. Then you can go away." I gulped

"Uhm, it's-it's Barrel." I stammered in my best Barrel impression. She didn't say anything, so I silently counted to three before pushing open the door. Shock was on her gray canopy bed, and had her arms circling her knees, hands clasped together, resting her chin on her kneecaps. When she saw me, her eyes narrowed.

"Your not Barrel." she said evenly.

"N-no, i'm not. I'm Lock."

"I know, I have eyes." she spat. I shifted my weight.

"I just wanted to say that, I-i'm sorry. About what happened. At...town." I avoided her gaze, inside looking at the edge of her bed.

"That's not good enough." she said. I lifted my eyes to meet hers.

"Okay, then what do you want me to say?" I asked her, annoyed.

"Cool the attitude, your supposed to be apologizing." she told me. I only nodded, biting back the smart-assed comment that had squirmed to the tip of my tongue.

"What do you want me to say?" I asked again, controlling my voice into a neutral tone.

"I think you know." she said. An evil grin had begun to form on her lips. Oh no. Not that.

"No I don't?" I said, my voice squeaking into a question at the end.

"Yes you do. Now say it." her grin broke wider.

"Shock, are you serious?" I whined.

"Say it." she repeated.

"It's pointless really-"

"Say it."

"Very stupid, actually-"

"Say it."

"Shooock!"

"Say it!"

"Fine." I mumbled. "Shock rules and I drool. Happy?"

"I couldn't hear you, what was that?" she asked, tipping her left ear towards me.

"Shock rules and I drool!"

She grinned. "Thank you."

"Your welcome, whatever. So are we cool?" I asked her.

"Hmm, I suppose." she decided. There was a brief pause as the song ended, and another one picked up. I was about to turn to leave when I remembered about the trophy.

"Oh, Shock?"

"Yeah?"

"I..I want you to have this." I said, then ducked my head while extending the trophy towards her.

"Ohmygod really?" she sqeauled delightedly, jumping off her bed and running up to me.

"Er..yes." I said quietly. I felt her take the trophy from my hands, and peeked up to see her admiring it. She placed it on a three legged table among her potions, books, and knick-knacks. I turned to go.

"Thank you Lock!" she threw her arms around my waist and hugged me to her, her head burying itself in my shoulder. I was glad that my back was to her, because that way she couldn't see the bright tomato-red blush that had spread across my face.

As suddenly as she had hugged me, she let go. Before she could say anything else, or see my red face, I dashed out of her room and down the hall. Barrel came out of the bathroom then, just my luck. The LAST person I wanted to see.

"What's up with your face?" he asked quizzically. "It's as red as your tail."

"Nothing!" I mumbled, then hurried to my room and slammed the door.

Once in the comfort of my room, I headed lazily over to my bed and plopped down. I replayed the scene with Shock a thousand times, analyzing her movements, wondering what she had been thinking of me when I was in there.

There, you gave her the trophy. Was that so hard? My brain asked me.

Yes, yes it was.

Shock's P.O.V

After Lock left, I turned back to admire my new trophy. Lock had taken all the candy out of its cup, but I didn't care that much. I had a trophy, my very own. It was a dull gold, and in slanted carving read: #1 BEST GROUP SCARE OF THE YEAR. I hugged the cold metal to my chest, before placing it gently on my table. Then I crawled back onto my bed, and reached my hand between the small crack between my matress and my wall. I felt around for a moment, before touching something sleek and hard.

Aha!

I gripped it with two fingers and pulled it back up onto my bed. It was my diary. I had recently started keeping one, what with all the changes beginning to occur within me. I only wrote in it when I was either bored or something big had happened. The cover was plain black with a photo of a black cobra on it's front. On the inside contained a crude drawing of me, Lock, and Barrel, and then my handwriting. Tiny mouse scrawl, like ants marching. I flipped open to the page I had been on before Lock had knocked and caused me to throw it out of sight. I had been in the middle of a sentence, but I couldn't remember what I had been trying to say.

I sighed and stuffed it back into my pillowcase.

Then I headed out into the living room. Now that my temporary fight with Lock was over, there really was no reason to stay hidden in my room. No one was in the living room, or the kitchen. I knocked on Lock's door, and called,

"Hey doofus! You in there?" but there was no response. I headed over to Barrel's room, but that door was tightly shut too.

Reluctantly, I went back to my room, slamming the door in exasperation. A song came on my CD player that I loved, and I hopped over to crank up the volume.

"How can you see into my eyes, like open doors?" a wispy female voice sang, accompanied by a melancholy piano tune.

I sang along with her.

"Leading you down into my core, where i've become so numb." Just then, the band began to pick up, guitar and drum joining in.

"Without a soul,

My spirit's sleeping somewhere cold,

until you find it there and lead it back...home."

There was a pause, and then the band when all out, drums beating and guitars slamming.

"Wake me up inside!

I can't wake up inside!

Call my name and save me from the dark."

Forgetting I wasn't the only one in the treehouse, I began singing loudly.

"Bid my blood to run!

Before I come undone!

Save me from the nothing i've become!"

There was a slight pause in music, and I casually turned around, to find Lock in my doorway. He looked uncomfortable. I blushed slightly.

"Um, is there something you would like?" I asked.

"No..I just..uh...just.." Lock stammered, fidgeting with his tail.

"Spit it out." I told him.

"I like this song." he mumbled, then quickly added, "What are you doing anyways?"

I lifted my head a little higher. "Singing. Care to join me?" I asked, teasingly. Lock grinned.

"Sure, why not?"


	5. Singing, Dancing, and a Daring Thought

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these NBC characters..(unfortunately) R&R :) (Again, sorry if anything comes out weird, stupid computer) Rated T for language and some content..  
Please no flames! Review..hehe ^_^

Author note: well, enjoy :)

Chapter 5: Singing, Dancing, and a Daring Thought

Shock's P.O.V

I was actaully surprised when Lock agreed to sing with me. I grinned, then grabbed his hand and pulled him into the room.

"Now that I know what i'm without, you can't just leave me

Breathe into me and make me real

Bring me..to life!"

The chorus started up again, and we sang, loudly and without a care. I spun and danced, and Lock pulled a few moves himself.

He actually looked pretty cute when he did it.

I let out a laugh that came from my soul.

After it came out, I wanted to take it back in. It had sounded horribly disgusting and manly, and I prayed to god Lock hadn't heard it. He began to dance like a mad man, making me giggle like crazy. I was sure not to let another one of my man-laughs escape.  
When the chorus came, I began to sing again.

"Wake me up inside!

Wake me up inside!

Call my name and save me from the dark!"

At about that time, Barrel appeared in the doorway to see what all the racket was. When he saw me and Lock dancing like lunatics,  
he immediatley joined in. He started spazzing, thrashing to the beat and singing random snippets of words he picked up on. It was incredibly fun, the three of us dancing and singing.

"Bid my blood to run!

Before I come undone!

Save me from the nothing i've become!"

There was another pause in the music, and I closed my eyes and spun. I knocked into something soft, and heard Barrel call out a cuss word at me, but ignored him. I opened my eyes again and sang along with the woman. I was the only one who knew the lyrics to this part of the song, and I ate up my solo moment.

"Frozen inside,

Without your touch,

Without your love, darling!

Only you are the life,

Among the dead."

I held out the word "dead" while closing my eyes and giving a twirl with one foot lifted. My hair smacked me in the face, and when I finished twirling I yanked on the hem of my dress, silently hoping it didn't go up.

A man began rapping, and Barrel began to rap with him, sorta. He mothed the wrong words and played an air guitar, but it looked more to me like he was trying to claw his way into his own stomach.

I noticed then that Lock was gawking at me.

"What?" I asked curiously at him over the music.

He shook his head. "Nothing."

The rapping ended then, and I swung back into the chorus, grabbing Lock's hand and spinning.

"Wake me up inside!

Wake me up inside!

Call my name and save me from the dark."

I let go of Lock's hand and grabbed Barrel's. Barrel twirled me, then flung me like a top, so I spun, barely in control around the room. I laughed histarically, trying to sing around my giggles.

"Bid my blood to run!

Before I come undone!

Save me from the nothing i've become!"

I gained control of myself then, and stopped spinning. I instead began shaking my hips, lifting my arms above my head and closing my eyes, soaking in the sound of the music and the taste if its' words.

"BRING ME TO LIFEEE!"

I began spinning again, it was pretty fun. I spun around aimlessly, my eyes still closed, until the song ended and the room became quiet. It must be the end of the CD.

I opened my eyes in time to see a blur of red and fall back onto something hard and warm. I blinked, dazed, at the figure above me.

When the walls stopped spinning, I realized I had landed in Lock's arms. He was looking down at me, grinning slightly.

I opened my mouth to say sorry, but suddenly no sound would come out.

Perfect.

I watched, as Lock's grin began to fade, and one of contemplation took its' place.

I hadn't moved from his arms. And suddenly I didn't want to.

Lock's P.O.V

Shock pulled me into her room, and then began singing. Her voice was like bells, beautiful and high-pitched. It rang out, sounding even better then the singers' voice.

"Now that I know what i'm without, you just can't leave me."

She twisted and turned, her eyes flicking to me as she danced. I decided, instead of standing there like an idiot, I should dance too.  
I did a couple funky moves, first the moon walk, then the robot. I saw her eyes light up, and she laughed.

It was the purest, most wonderful sound I had ever heard. And I had caused it to come from her. I wanted to hear it again, so badly I began doing all the dance moves I knew, desperate to hear that laugh again. She giggled a bunch, and her smile was a mile wide,  
but I couldn't pull that laugh out of her again.

Damn it.

When the chorus started again, we both sang. I belted out the words, I knew most of them by heart. I danced and watched as Shock twirled and jumped. At one point, she lifted her hands above her head and did a ballarina twirl.

She was so hot.

Halfway through the chorus, Barrel joined us. He jumped around like he was on drugs, singing the wrong words and randomly screaming. I was slightly annoyed for him barging in on me and Shock, I had been enjoying just the two of us together, but Barrel WAS pretty funny.

I was laughing too now, singing and dancing (if that's what you could call it) and watching Barrel and Shock sing and dance.

Mostly Shock.

A part of the song came that I didn't know the lyrics to. Shock obviously did, because she began to sing them as loud as she could,  
her voice floating in the air and hovering above me.

I was so tempted to kiss her.

Instead I watched with one part amusment and two parts fascination as she danced, singing her heart out. Her gray eyes were impossibly bright, her black hair impossibly glossy, flying out behind her when she twirled, always a second late to catch up with the rest of her.

When she came to the last line of her part, she held out the word "dead." Her voice didn't waver or show any signs of breaking hold before it was supposed to. It came out strong and sure, confident in the lyrics it sang.

She closed her eyes and twirled, one leg raised, so her toes touched her knee. The other foot stayed on the ground, propelling her in a spin on her tippy-toes.

Her short dress flew up, exposing a tiny bit of her lace panties. I gulped hard, but couldn't tear my eyes away.

When she had completed the spin, she rested on both feet, her hair smacking her face and tangling in her eyelashes.

She grinned at me, then tugged on the hem of her dress.

I must've been staring oddly, because she motuhed at me "What?" I hurried to answer a "Nothing." before turning my gaze away.

She took my hand at one point and spun. After a moment she let go, taking Barrels' hand instead, and letting him launch her like a model rocket.

She spun chaotically around the room.

When she regained control, she looked a bit frazzled, but that didn't stop her from dancing. The song was nearly over, and she closed her eyes as she lifted her arms above her head and shook her hips.

I tried not to stare, but it was incredibly hard.

She looked so carefree, so joyous and happy, and, well, so SEXY.

It took all my strength to not kiss her.

As the song closed, she spun around again, her eyes still closed. Just as the song ended, she landed in my arms.

I barely noticed her bewildered look, because I was to intoxicated with her scent.

And her touch.

And everything there was about her.

I wanted to kiss her so badly. To pour myself into her through my lips. To finally taste the softness of hers.

So why don't you? my brain asked.

Why don't you kiss her?

I had no answer.

Never know unless you try.


	6. The Taste of Tongues

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these NBC characters..blah blah whatever. R&R :)

Rated T for language and some content. Please no flames!

Review..hehe ^_^ PLEASE!

Author note: I'm really excited to write this chapter, and I hope your excited to read it!

Chapter 6: The Taste of Tongues

Shocks P.O.V

I stared right into Locks' yellow eyes. They seemed impossibly deep, like an endless void swallowing me whole.

I waited. What did I wait for? I don't know, but I knew I would know when it happened.

And then he moved in.

Almost imperceptibly, he began inching towards my face. I pulled myself onto my feet completely, his arms still around me, and began to move towards him too. There really wasn't that much distance between our close bodies, I could practically feel the heat from his body, but it seemed to take forever until we were close enough to...to...

When there was only an inch of space between us, I closed my eyes and waited. And then our lips touched.

Fireworks exploded, and their heat made me gasp, jumping back slightly. Lock looked at me, almost apologetically. I didn't know what he should be sorry for, though. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled him into me, before ferociously placing my hungry lips to his.

Suddenly, I needed him with a passion. The rest of the world fell away, and all I could feel was his body, his lips, against mine.

I didn't want this feeling to go away.

Locks P.O.V

I tentatively moved towards her, giving her time to move away.

She didn't.

When she was only an inch away, her gray eyes closed. I closed my eyes too, and pressed my lips to hers.

Searing heat practically burned my lips, but I ignored it. It wasn't a bad pain.

Shock, pulled away with a gasp, and I immediatly felt embarresed.

She probably hadn't wanted to kiss me anyways. I opened my mouth to apologize for coming onto her, but she pulled me back to her, pressing her lips hard against mine.

It was pure bliss.

She wrapped her hands around my neck, and I secured mine around her waist. Her mouth moved with mine, a dance we both knew,  
although we had never done it before. Some things were taught, others were instinct.

I slipped my tongue into her mouth, where it was greeted by hers. We played, the simplest, yet most wonderful game there was. I wandered my tongue through her mouth, learning every dip and place in it, until I knew them by heart.

I had wanted her for so long.

Her tongue brushed across the inside of my mouth, my cheek, my lip, and then met my tongue again. We swirled them around eachothers, enjoying the feel of them together.

I pulled back, biting her lip lightly.

She moaned in pleasure, causing a shiver to run down my spine and my pants to become tighter.

I kissed her jaw, down her neck, and back up. I felt her grip on me tighten, pressing her body as close to me as she could.

"Mhh." she sighed. I liked the thought of bringing her pleasure.

I moved my mouth back to hers, and kissed her softly. Her hands tangled in my hair, and I locked my own fingers in her dark hair,  
securing her head in place.

I moved my lips from hers again, although I was not quite finished with our moment.

I was so happy, it had finally come.

She tilted her head back slightly, her eyes still closed, the quietest moan escaping from her. I kissed her neck once, then kissed her lips again.

I knew the moment was drawing to a close, but, in a desperate attempt to keep it alive for a second longer, I brought her soft lips to mine, once more.

I delivered a kiss impossibly tender, letting all the sweet, pent up emotions loose.

She pressed her body to mine, and I moaned quietly.

When the kiss closed, I pulled back to look in her gray eyes. She returned my gaze. Neither of us said anything, afraid that words would break the magic we could feel.

I ran my fingers through her dark hair a few times, never straying my gaze.

After what seemed like forever, she untangled her fingers from my fiery hair, and I reluctantly untangled mine from hers, instead placing them on her hips.

She smiled softly, and my heart skipped a beat. As if she had heard it, she placed one of her hands over my heart, feeling it thump wildly in my chest. I placed one of my hands over her heart, too, my palm brushing the top of her breast. She shivered.

We both kept our hands on eachothers hearts, until the rythem had slowed and they beat in time with one another.

"That was perfect." She whispered. I nodded in total agreement.

All too soon, she sighed and pulled away.

"Hey, where'd Barrel go?" she asked.

"I dunno, probably finished his lollipop and had to go get another one."

Shock cracked a smile. "Hah, probably."

We didn't say anything, I couldn't think of any words that would fit into the puzzle piece silence.

Shock was about to head from her room, when I grabbed her hand. She turned to look at me.

"Shock?" I asked, trying not to fidget.

"Yeah, Lock?" she asked back. Confusion settled on her face, accompanied by another emotion that made her smile.

"I love you." I said. I stared straight into her eyes as I said it, wanting her to know I meant the words I spoke.

I had imagined this scene a thousand times, but none of my fantasys could compare to the real thing.

"I...I love you too." she said softly, her beautiful lips curving up, her eyes gentle. I smiled back.

Victory!

She grabbed my hand then, twining my fingers in hers.

"Let's go find Barrel and make sure he's not traumatized for life." She joked.

I chuckled. "Okay, yeah, let's."

Pulling me close to her, she led the way out of her room, leaving the lingering scent of a fresh kiss, and newborn love.

The magic followed us, nestling between our hands.

Barrels P.O.V

When they started kissing, I took that as my cue to leave. I was sure they wouldn't want me there while they were shoving their tongues down eachothers throats. I backed away slowly, careful not to step on creaking floorboards. When I had safely retreated from the room, I turned and ran to mine. I shut my door gently.

Well this was great.

One moment, we had been 3 of a kind, birds of a feather, dancing and laughing without any cares. And the next...BAM.  
It was just them. I wasn't there. I disappeared from their thoughts, their worlds. The only thing there was them. I sighed.

Of course, I wanted them to be happy. I knew Lock loved Shock, and I had had my suspicions about Shocks' feelings for Lock,  
but I must've forgotten that with them together, there would be no room for me.

Well I sure remembered now.

They would probably become a couple and do everything together, without me. I felt suddenly hopeless.

What if they started ditching me to make out?

What if they started ignoring me?

Would things be the same now?

COULD things be the same now? Or ever?

Why was I always the odd man out?

How come nobody liked me?

So much for 3 of a kind.

It was just them, 2 of a kind. And me, a random feather that fell loose and drifted away, blown by wind and loneliness.

I aimed my fist at the wall and let it fly.

I bit my lip to keep in the tears.

Nobody ever missed a feather.


	7. A Talk with Lock

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the NBC characters...meh. R&R :)

Rated T for language and some content. Please no flames!

Review..hehe ^_^ PLEASE! Author note: Thanks for the reviews...keep 'em coming! :) (Sorry if this chapter is short, I had to write it quick! Hope you like it anyways)

Chapter 7: A Talk With Lock

Barrels P.O.V

I was curled up in my green comforter when I heard a knock on my door.

"Barrel? You in there?" It was Shock.

"Yeah." I called, then sighed. I really didn't want to see her right now.

"Can I come in?" she asked, oblivious to the fact that my mind was having a mental breakdown.

No. Nonononono. Go away. "Yeah." Fuck. Why'd I say that?

Shock appeared in my doorway a moment later, Locks' hand gripping her own.

Whoopdee fucking doo.

Shock entered my room, dragging Lock behind her. She pushed through the clutter, disrespecting everything on my floor by trampeling it with her feet. She clambered onto my bed and sat, her knees tucked under her. Lock leaned against my bottom bedpost,  
his eyes trained on my face. In fact, they were both looking at me, staring hard. I felt uncomfortable.

"Yeah?" I asked them, when neither of them said a word.

"Why'd ya go?" Shock asked. Her voice was light and breezy, but I detected worry underneath it.

"I didn't wana interrupt your game of tonsel hokey." I said, shrugging. I had tried to make my voice sound natural, but I came out sounding strangled.

"Oh Barrel.'' Shock shook her head.

"Always soo dramatic." she grinned at me. It was obvious she thought I was only upset because I had seen them kiss. But it was not the fact that they had kissed, but the result their kissing would cause.

I could sum it up in three words: bye bye, Barrel.

"We kissed. That's something people do when people like eachother." Shock sounded condescending, and I resented her for it.

Why was she so stupid? Thinking she knew everything. Fuck it.

I didn't say anything. Maybe if i'm really quiet, they'll leave, I thought. I sat, waiting.

"Sorry if we traumatized you." Shock giggled, then glanced at Lock.

Nope, it didn't work.

Suddenly I wanted to strangle Shock. She thought I was traumatized? No, I was far from it! I didn't care if they had sex right here on my bed in front of me, so long as they still were my friends. I don't know how I would live without them.

Instead of pummeling Shock to a pulp, I laughed to.

"Oh, that's okay. Whatever. It's about time you two got together." I grinned, a fake grin, but a grin nonetheless.

Shock giggled and looked at Lock. Lock beamed and squeezed her hand. I fought the urge to puke.

Shock stretched then, clapping a palm over her mouth to conceal her yawn.

"Well, i'm kinda beat, I think i'm gonna turn it in."

"Awh, so soon?" Lock asked, disappointedly.

"Yeah. Sorry." Shock shrugged her shoulders and smiled. I knew she was happy Lock wanted her to stay up longer.

"Walk me to my bed?" she asked, staring at her toes to hide her blush.

What a stupid ass question.

Lock grinned. "Sure." he said, trying to sound charming. "I'll even stay all night, if you want." he winked, and Shock smiled.

"That would be perfe-"

I cut Shock off by making a retching noise.

"Uh, Lock? Actually could I talk to you?" I asked. Lock turned to Shock, but she was already leaving the room. She must be really tired.

"S-sure." Lock said. Then, "Night babe!" down the hall. There he went again, trying to be all charming.

"Night!" Shock called, followed by giggles. God, she was such a girl.

"What is it you wanted to talk about?" Lock asked me then, hoisting himself up onto my bed. I flung off my comforter and leaned towards him.

"Are you and Shock...uh...together?" I asked slowly, searching for the right words. I didn't want to sound jealous, because I DEFFINITELY wasn't.

Lock grinned. "Yeah..I think so. It's awesome, isn't it?"

"Y-yeah." I stuttered. Lock must've caught onto my mood then, because he asked me in a suddenly serious voice,

"What's wrong, man?"

"Nothing..nothing.." I started, feeling stupid. Why'd I even bring it up? I probably sounded like an idiot.

"You can tell me anything, Barrel." Lock said quietly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You're like my brother, and I always want to be there for you if you need me."

His yellow eyes were serious. I gave a tiny smile. This was so out of character, Lock was NEVER serious. Or this nice.

"It's just...you and Shock!" I blurted.

"What about us?"

"I'm..i'm afraid that..." I paused to evaluate his expression. It wasn't mocking, so I continued.

"Since you guys are...together..now..." I paused again, this time not looking at his face.

"Cough it up, Barrel. I'm not gonna judge you." Lock said.

"You guys are going to forget about me!" I hurried to finish. I twisted the green comforter in my hands, wringing it and tugging on it to distract from my confession.

"What?" Lock asked, surpirsed. I looked up to see a grin beginning to form on his face.

Damn, I knew I shouldn't of told him!

"Wow, Lock. I'm being honest, and you laugh at me. You know what? Just forget it. G'night." I said, pissed off. I through the comforter over my head.

"No, no! Barrel, i'm not laughing at you!"

I didn't reply.

"Barrel, come out of there. Seriously. I'm not laughing at you. I'm not even smiling anymore."

"Fat lie." I mumbled.

"Barrel! Barrel, please?" he begged. I sat quietly under the covers.

"Listen, Barrel.." Lock started, his voice getting softer.

"I was only smiling because that is the stupidest worry you should ever have. Like I would forget about you! Just 'cause i'm with Shock now? C'mon, man. We would NEVER ignore you, or forget you, or anything! You're the third in 'three of a kind'! We're always going to be best friends. All three of us. Just because Shock and I are in love, things won't change! They'll be the same, only Shock and I will kiss sometimes."

I could hear his voice go all dreamy when he said "kiss."

"But really," Lock continued. "We will ALWAYS be friends. Nothing will change that. Ever."

I peeked my head out from under the comforter.

"Ever?" I asked, grinning slightly.

"Ever." Lock confirmed.

I threw the blanket off me and smiled as wide as I could.

"Okay, good. I dont know what i'd do without you two."

Lock grinned. "Yeah man." He yawned then. "Listen, i'm tired. I'm gonna hit the hay. See ya in the morning."

"Okay, yeah. See ya then." I nodded. I could use some sleep too.

He reached out a fist at me, and I returned one.

Fistbump.

"Bro's before hoes." I said. Lock cracked a smile.

"Right." he agreed. "Goodnight." he called as he left my room.

"Goo'night." I answered. Then everything was silent. I flicked off my light and then stumbled back to my bed in the dark, swearing quietly to myself.

I curled up into a ball, wrapping the comforter over my shoulders.

I smiled and closed my eyes.

Shocks P.O.V

Snuggled underneath my purple comforter, it didn't take me long to fall into a peaceful dream.

In my dream, I was wearing a purple dress (which was not unusual). I was standing in a gray grassed feild, covered in white flowers.  
Bare, leafless trees bent in the wind, their branches knocking together. The wind whipped my black hair and dress around my body,  
a mere toy for it to play with. Another figure appeared at the other end of the feild.

He was dressed in red.

My heart kicked into high gear.

The red-clad figure began walking over towards me, wind whipping the grass at his ankles and veering his course slightly. But there was no mistake as to where he was heading. After a painfully long wait, he stopped in front of me.

"Lock." my voice whispered. It sounded soft and sweet, exactly how I wish my voice really did sound.

Lock didn't say anything, only smiled. In a way, I realized that if he spoke, this dream would shatter. It was unable to contain the deep beauty of his voice.

Quielty, Lock leaned forward until there was only an inch of distance between our close bodies. He placed his hands gently on my hips, his touch like a caressing feather.

I placed both my hands on his chest, panting a little. Where had his shirt gone?

I tilted my head up slightly to look at his glowing face. He leaned his lips towards mine.

Closer, closer, closer! My mind screamed. He listened with his own thoughts, gently pressing his lips to mine.

My memory had preserved the feel of his kiss well.

Our tongues met, and once again played. I lost myself in the softness of his lips and the caress of his touch against my sides. I closed my eyes and leaked my passion into him, a lust overcoming me that I had never felt before.

His fingers slid underneath my dress, and I didn't try to stop them.

He kissed down my neck, along the swoop of my shirt, his lips tingling across the tops of my breasts.

"Lock." I moaned, closing my eyes. The wind beat around us, tugging at my clothes as if to rip them off.

"Oh, Lock." I moaned again. I continued to whisper his name as his lips roamed my body, then ventured back to my mouth.

"Lock." My mouth continued to recite his name.

"Yes?" he asked against my skin.

My dream shattered and I sat bolt upright in my bed, coming face to face with a curious Lock.


	8. The New Girl

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the NBC characters...but I stole a few. R&R :)

Rated T for language and some content. Please no flames!

Review..hehe ^_^

Author note: I'm getting really into writing this story! If anyone has any ideas or anything they'd like to see, lemme know! Okay, now read.

Chapter 8: The New Girl

Shocks P.O.V

"L-Lock!" I stammered, surprised.

"Yeah?" he asked. "What is it?"

"How'd you get in here?" I asked him, trying not to sound like a total idiot.

"The door, idiot." Barrel called from where he stood by my window. He wore a large grin, and his wide eyes were directly on me.

What the fuck?

"Uhm, okay. Well, I guess I should've said WHY are you in here?" I crossed my arms over my chest and waited.

Lock was perched on the edge of my bed next to me. He looked honestly confused, and my expression softened a little. I was afraid they were going to pull a prank on me or something. Just because Lock and I were kinda together doesn't mean things are going to change. At least, I hoped most things wouldn't change, I was pretty happy with the way life was turning out before. Of course, I was extremely pleased that Lock and I were (possibly) together, but if that meant all pranks had to cease, I would die.

"You..you were calling my name." Lock said, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned my attention to him. His eyebrows were drawn together, the classic expression of confusion.

"What?" I snapped. I tried to make my exterior annoyed and angry so they wouldn't be able to tell how suddenly embarresed I was.

I'd said his name out loud?

"Yeah!" Barrel chimed in. His grin was getting wider by the second. "You were moaning Locks' name in your sleep, and you were soo loud, and we heard and came in to see what was the matter.''

SHIT! This was not good. I had to lie...fast.

"Oh, was I?" I laughed as if it were the funniest thing in the world. Locks' eyebrows sprung up.

"Yeah, well you know how I talk in my sleep." That wasn't actually a lie, I was known to say the most outrageous things as I slept.

"Yeah? But why were you saying LOCKS' name?" Barrel challenged. I gulped. How could he possibly know about my dream?

"I don't know, I was asleep!" I shouted.

"Well, what was your dream about?" Lock asked. He was looking straight at me, and I dipped my head to hide my bright blush.

"I dunno." I said quickly. "I..uh..don't remember." I mumbled lamely. God, now he HAD to know! This was great, just brilliant.

"Uh..okay." Lock replied slowly, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye as if I was crazy. "I'm going to go get some breakfast."  
he said, then stood up and gracefully left the room. I found myself staring after him as he went.

Shuffling footsteps distracted me from my train of thought, turning my attention to Barrel. His grin was huge, and he raised an eyebrow at me, a question in his expression.

I played dumb.

"What's that look for?" I snapped, challenging his smug gaze with my own angry one.

"Oh, don't act like you don't know." Barrel chided me.

"What?" I barked. I was fed up with his idiot crap.

"You totally had an X rated dream about Lock!" Barrel blurted.

"Wh-what?" I stammered. How'd he know?

"Oh, c'mon Shock, it's so obvious. You start moaning his name in your sleep, and when Lock asks you what you dreampt about, you suddenly don't remember Plus you couldn't even look at him without blushing."

My cheeks felt red hot. "Your so stupid, Barrel!" I yelled.

"Stupid, but right." his grin didn't slip the slightest.

"No, wrong. You're wrong. And stupid." I glared, daring him to challenge me.

"Whaaatever. I know i'm right. But if i'm wrong, it won't matter if I tell Lock then, right?"

"Barrel, I swear to god.." I trailed my threat off.

"So that's a yes?" Barrel taunted.

"No!" I screeched, launching myself from my bed and onto his stupid fat head. I gripped his throat and shook. Barrel feebly threw a few punches, but they were so soft I barely felt them. After a minute or so, I loosened my grip just enough for him to get air. He gasped, gulping in as much air as he could.

"Even so much as mention my dream, and I will personally take the liberty of tying you to the bottom of the lake, you hear?"

Barrel nodded, his eyes wide with fear. I dropped my hold on his neck and stood up.

"Okay, get out." I pointed at the door. Barrel shuffled over to it, and paused halfway out.

"So you DID have that kind of dream about him?" his look was curious as well as mocking, and I regretted not strangling him to death earlier.

"Just shuddup!" I grabbed the first thing I saw and chucked it at his head. It whizzed past his ear, and I snapped my fingers in annoyance.

"Woah. So you DID! I'm telling Lock." Barrel grinned, then took off down the hall. I charged after him, but he safely made it to his room and slammed the door just as I reached it. I put my hands out in front of me to brace myself from smacking into Barrels' door.

"Son of a bitch." I mumbled under my breath. Then I headed back to my room to get dressed.

Barrel's P.O.V

A few hours later, Lock, Shock and I were heading to town. We were all dressed up in our costumes, ready to reek havoc on the unsuspecting folk in Halloween Town. Once safely through the gates, Lock turned around on his heels to face us.

"What should we do first?" he asked us excidedly.

"I dunno, let's find the mayor!" Shock suggested.

I loved that idea. I loved any idea as long as it involved candy or pranking the mayor.

With that, Lock set off, Shock and I at his heels, as we began our search for the mayor.

"Where do you think he'd be?" I asked.

"Let's check Town Square." Lock replied, changing his course. When we made it to town square, we did not see the mayor. Instead,  
we were greeted by the backs of Jack and Sally, who were looking down at something.

"I bet they're talking to the mayor!" Shock squealed.

"Hurry, let's hide!" Lock said, before ducking behind the fountain.

"Okay, on the count of three, launch your slingshots. Be sure to get around Jack and Sally. Just aim for the mayor, got it?" Lock said.

"Got it Lock." Shock replied. I think she just liked saying his name.

"Right." I whispered.

"One.." Lock started, placing a rock off the ground into his slingshot. Shock and I did the same.

"Two.." Shock continued, pulling back her slingshot and aiming it up.

"Three!" I finished, and we all let loose our rocks. Lock and Shocks' rocks did a perfect arch, sailing over Jack and Sallys' heads and squarly clunking the target. Mine, however, knocked Jack in the back of the head.

"Ow! What the-?" Jack rubbed the back of his skull, and Sally looked at him with mild concern. From inside the half circle Jack and Sally had made, we heard another cry. It did not belong to the mayor.

"Ow! What the hell?" yelped a high-pitched girl voice. I tilted my head.

"Did you guys hear that voice?" I asked them. Lock and Shock both nodded slowly.

"Wonder who that was..." I started. Just then, Jacks' voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Lock! Shock! Barrel! Where are you?" He barked fiercely. "Come out NOW!" We obeyed. I dipped my head like I was sorry, but Lock and Shock all but ran out of our hiding place, skipping up to Jack and Sally.

"Oh, hello Jack!" Lock said evenly.

"Good to see you Sally!" Shock chimed in. They both then looked at eachother before bursting into a fit of laughter.

"Hi. Would you like to explain to me why you just pelted that girl with rocks?" Jack snarled.

"What girl?" Lock asked, honestly confused. "We just were trying to hit the mayor."

"Yeah? Well the mayor isn't here. You instead just hit Desdemona."

Lock, Shock and I all looked at eachother in confusion. Who the hell was Desdemona?

Just then, a girl stepped between Jack and Sally. She looked about our age, with long, white-blonde hair that curled down her back in thick ringlets, and sky blue eyes. I stared, mouth agape.

"Lock, Shock, Barrel, this is Desdemona." Sally said softly. Desdemona smiled.

"She's new, just arrived here actually, and we were questioning her when you so rudely bombarded her with rocks."

"S-sorry." I stuttered. Desdemona looked at me and smiled.

"That's okay. Hi, i'm Desdemona." her voice sounded like angels singing.

"Hi." we all said. I looked to see Lock and Shocks' reactions. Lock was looking uncomfortable and confused, and Shock looked embarresed and surpirsed. I wondered how I looked. Probably stupid.

"Who are you?" she asked us.

At that we all grinned at eachother, and then stated our names.

"Lock." Lock said, removing his mask and grinning.

"Shock." Shock said, doing the same as Lock.

"Barrel." I finished, taking off my mask and smiling. I hoped she didn't think I was ugly.

"Well, hey." she said.

"Lock, Shock, Barrel, would you be ever so kind as to show Desdemona around?" Sally asked. "She could use a tour." Sally looked slightly worried for our answer.

"Of course!" I said, maybe too quickly.

"Yeah, it'll be fun!" Shock agreed.

Jack was looking even more concerned then Sally. "Be nice, okay?" he cautioned us.

"Of course we will be!" Lock grinned widely.

"C'mon, we'll show you around." Shock gestured for Desdemona to follow, and we left Jack and Sally in Town Square.

As Lock and Shock pointed out places throughout town, I gawked at Desdemona. She was beautiful. She wore a longsleeved white v-neck shirt, and a tiny white skirt, that was extremely tattered. On her feet were gray boots, the kind that were too high fasion to be called snow boots, but not really anything else. Her cheeks were rosy, as if from some kind of cold, although today was an exeptionally warm day in Halloween Town. I tagged along, pointing out a few places Shock and Lock failed to. After the tour of town, Shock suggested we bring her back to our place.

"It's not like she has anywhere else to stay." Shock pointed out.

"True." Lock agreed.

"Would you want to?" Shock asked, almost hopefully. I think she was happy not to be the only girl human in Halloween Town.

"Sure." Desdemona chimed breezily. And so we led her up the hill.

"We're not guna all fit up that elevator at once." I noticed.

"Okay, so you bring Desdemona up and then lower the cage back down for me an' Lock." Shock said. I gulped.

"O-okay." I said, doing my best not to freak out. I opened the cage door.

"Uh..ladies first." I said, glad my mask was hiding my blush. Desdemona giggled and stepped into the cage, and I followed after her,  
closing the door and pulling the rope. The cage groaned as it lifted us into the tree house. I opened the door for her and then closed it after I had stepped out behind her. Bugs of all sorts wriggled and writhed away from us. I was afraid to look at Desdemonas' expression, but when I did sneak a peek, I saw she was awed rather then disgusted. I lowered the cage back down for Lock and Shock, who appeared moments later, stepping out of the cage while holding hands.

"This is our house." Lock said proudly.

"This is...so cool!" Desdemona bubbled.

"Really?" I asked her.

"Duh!" she confirmed, smiling at me so wide I thought all her teeth might shatter.

"Yeah, this is where we live." Shock smiled and plopped down on the couch. Lock sat next to her, wrapping his arm over her shoulder. Shock grabbed the remote and began flipping through the tv channels.

"Barrel, why don't you give her a tour?" Shock suggested, unaware of the fact that Desdemona was making it hard for me to breath.

"Uhm, sure. Follow me..." I motioned for Desdemona to follow, and headed out of the living room.

"That was the living room, and this is the kitchen." I said as we stepped through the kitchen.

"Over here is the bathroom." I pointed it out.

"Oh, what an awesome tub!" she squealed, staring at our walking bathtub.

"Yeah, it IS pretty cool. Did you know it walks?" I asked. Of course she didn't know, what kind of stupid question was that?

"No way, really? That is so cool!" she looked like she wanted to take a ride in it.

"Yeah, we can take a ride in it later." I told her, hoping she wouldn't catch on that I meant we as in just her and me. Alone.

"Coolio." she grinned at me, and, embarresed, I turned and led on the tour.

"That's the armory, where we keep all our weapons of torture." I grinned evily at her. She grinned back.

"So, you always pull pranks then?" she asked.

"Always. There is hardy ever a day when we don't." I confirmed.

"Nice. Maybe.." she paused, and I studied her expression. I detected...nervousness?

"Maybe I could help you pull the next one?" she asked, not meeting my gaze.

"Of course." I smiled at her, hoping I looked sincere and kind, and not high and insane. She met her gaze to mine then, and smiled tentatively.

"C'mon, let me show you the rest of the house, then we can sneak up on Lock and Shock and see if they're making out."

Desdemona smiled at my suggestion.

"So, they're together?" she asked me. I tried to hear jealousy or disappointment in her voice, any sign that she was interested in Lock,  
but I could only detect innocent curiousity.

"Yeah, you could say that." I answered, then headed up a short flight of stairs and down a narrow hallway.

"Locks' room. Shocks' room." I pointed at the closed doors. Locks' was decorated in red sharpie. The words "Locks Room" and "STAY OUT!" and "bEwaRE oF tHe DEviL" were printed in messy handwriting, along with a drawing of a pitchfork. Shocks'  
door had writing on it, much neater than Locks', in purple and black sharpie. Words like "Shock Rules, You Drool" and "KEEP OUT" and "If You Enter Without My Permission I Will Poisin You And Chain You To The Bottom Of A Lake" were written on her door, along with a dusty old picture of the three of us when we were little.

"And..my room." I pointed to my door. It was decorated in Green sharpie, random writing occupying most of it.

"Tada." I said, pushing open my door to reveal an un-made bed, messy floor, and dirty windows. She looked thoughtful for a moment, taking in everything in my room. Then she smiled.

"I like it." she smiled. My pants became too tight when she said that. I gulped.

"Really? Well thanks. It's not much, but it's mine." I smiled, casually turning away from her.

"Nah, it's perfect." she studied my room a moment longer, then turned to me.

"So, that's that. Our house.'' I said, suddenly extremely nervous. I hoped she couldn't tell.

"It's awesome. I really like it." she smiled.

"Thanks." I smiled, and began to lead her back to the living room.

"Hey, what's that?" she asked, pointing to a door at the end of the hallway.

"Oh, just a spare room. Nobody uses it." Anymore. I didn't think I should tell her about Oogie Boogie using that room. I doubted she even knew what the Oogie Boogie man was.

"Hm." she said thoughtfully, and then smiled. "Okay, cool."

We walked in silence for a few moments, and then I decided to ask her.

"How'd you die?"

She had looked lost in thought, but when I said those words, she immediately jumped her focus back to me.

"Oh.." she said, looking a little embarresed. I immediately felt stupid.

"Sorry. You don't have to answer if you don't want to." I hurried to tell her. She looked up at me, and smiled a little.

"Nah, it's okay. I froze to death."

"Oh..how?" I asked her. That was such an unusual way to die.

"Well, I ran away. My home was horrible, I hated it. My parents were so...uhg. I just hate them" I saw tears forming in her eyes, but she didn't stop. "They beat me. Anyways, it was winter, and I was planning on running away in spring, but one night it got really bad.  
I couldn't take it, so I just ran into the woods outside our house. I didn't even bring anything with me. No food, no blankets. Nothing. I didn't care if I died, I actually hoped I would. Over night, it got so cold. I only made it two days. Then I just layed down in the snow and gave in. It felt so much better. But it took a while. I guess you don't freeze to death that quickly. So I just took a sharp rock and stabbed my vein. This one, actually." She pointed to the bright blue vein on her left wrist. "It came quick after that. It was like falling asleep, sorta." She smiled then, done with her story. I gulped, feeling suddenly very sorry for her.

"Oh, i'm, uh, sorry." I said stupidly.

She laughed. "Oh, don't be. I'm actually glad I died." As she said this, she looked straight into my eyes. I shifted my weight nervously.

"Okay, well good then." I didn't know what else to say.

"Barrel! Desdemona! Horror movie is on! Wana watch it with us?" Shock called from the living room.

"Not if you two are going to make out the whole time!" I yelled back.

"Shutup and get your lazy ass in here!" she yelled back. I shrugged.

"C'mon." I told Desdemona, grabbing her hand and pulling her to the living room. We plopped down on the floor, since Shock and Lock claimed the couch.

Desdemona didn't pull her hand from mine, nor did I release it. I barely watched the movie, to occupied with thoughts of Desdemona.


	9. Of Dares and Desire

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the NBC characters. I only own Desdemona!

Rated T for language and some content. Please no flames!

Review..hehe ^_^

Author note: Thank you to my reviewers! XOXOX. Oh, and something cool I figured out: the name Desdemona actually means "of the devil." I think that's really cool and pretty ironic seeing as I randomly chose the name and it actually relates somewhat to the story and Halloween. Okay, chapter 9, enjoy.

Chapter 9: Of Dares and Desire

Barrels P.O.V

About halfway through the movie, just when it was starting to get good, Shock grunted in disgust and turned off the tv. I swiveled around to look at her.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"That movie sucks. I'm not watching it anymore." she stated plainly.

"Yeah? Then go in another room." I told her. Normally, I wouldn't of been so daring with my words towards her, you never know when Shock might blow a fuse and flip out on you, but I was too busy wanting to not sound like a loser in front of Desdemona. Shock gave me an evil glare, and I surpressed cringing.

"Let's ask Desdemona what she wants to do." Shock said.

"Fine." I looked over at Desdemona. "What do you wana do? Watch the movie or whatever Shock has planned up her dirty sleeve?"

Desdemona withdrew her hand from mine to wring it with her other hand. She looked nervous and unsure.

"Uh I-I don't really know.." she whispered, not meeting my gaze or Shocks'. I immediately felt bad. Who was I to push her to choose something she probably didn't care less about? Whichever answer she deemed right would be wrong, and she would be met with either mine or Shock's fury. I rested a palm gently on her knee, ignoring how touching her made me feel.

"Desdemona?" I asked softly. She looked up, her worry-filled expression tinged with slight despair.

"You don't have to choose, if you don't want to. But if you do choose whatever Shock wants to do, I won't be mad." She looked relieved, but I didn't know if it was because she didn't have to choose or because I wouldn't be mad at her.

Sometimes, girls were as easy to read as a wide open book. And other times, I didn't even have the slightest clue.

With Desdemona, it already seemed like it was the second one.

"Well, I AM kinda curious as to what Shock wants to do.." she looked at Shock, who smiled triumphantly.

"Let's play a game. I don't care what, any game. Like wrestling or knife-throwing or axe-clobbering or higgery fig." Shock suggested.

"What's higgery fig?" Desdemona asked.

"It's when we decide upon an object that we gotta retrieve, like something from someones house or out of Town Hall, and we can use as many weapons as we want to disable our opponents-"

"Weapons?" Desdemona asked unsurely.

"Yeah, like axes, knives, baseball bats, bear traps, poison, whatever. And the first person to get the object wins!" Shock finished,  
looking excited.

"Doesn't that sound like fun?" she asked Desdemona. I turned to see her expression, which was a little frightened.

"Uh, what about something less violent?" Desdemona suggested. Shock crossed her arms.

"Like what?"

"Liiike..." Desdemona tapped her chin with her index finger and gazed at the ceiling, as if it held the answer to her searching mind.  
In a moment, her face brightened, and I could almost see the floating lightbulb light up above her head.

Maybe the ceiling did have all the answers. I turned my gaze up to it curiously.

"Truth or Dare!" she squealed.

"What's truth or dare?" Lock asked.

"Okay, so a person asks another person 'truth or dare' and that person has to chose if they either want to do a dare, or answer a question truthfully. Then after the person that had to do the truth or dare does it, they get to ask another person, and so on."

I thought that game actually sounded amusing.

"What happens if you don't want to do the truth or the dare the person gives you?" Shock asked, sounding almost nervous.

"Then the person gives you a counter-truth or a counter-dare, which is like their second choice for what they want you to do, and you HAVE to do it, no matter what." Desdemona explained, using her hand motions to emphasize her words.

"Oh. Okay." Shock said.

"So, you guys wana play?" she asked. Her face was so excited and happy, I couldn't say no, even if I had wanted to.

"I'm in." I said, almost right away. She smiled at me, then turned to Lock and Shock.

"Sure." said Lock, smiling.

"Yeah, it kinda sounds fun." Shock agreed. I could tell she was still alittle upset no one wanted to beat eachother with sticks.

"Okay, i'll start, since I know the game." she smiled, then evaluated the little circle we had made.

"Uhh okay, Shock. Truth or dare?"

"Hmm..dare." Shock said, being her usual self. Her motto was ''dare me" so it wasn't a big surprise that she would choose dare over truth.

"Okay. I dare you to lick the floor." Desdemona said, grinning.

"Why?" Shock asked, looking confused.

"Just 'cause, that's what you do." Desdemona explained quickly, then pointed to the floor. "Lick." she commanded. Shock shrugged her shoulders and leaned over. She dragged her tongue across the floor, then withdrew it back into her mouth.

"Tada." Shock said, sitting back up and smiling. Desdemona grinned.

"Okay, good, now YOU get to truth or dare someone."

Shock's grin was so evil it sent shivers up my spine. "Barrel." she said. "Truth or dare?"

If I said truth, she would probably ask an embarresing question to me in front of Desdemona. If I said dare, who knows the feat she would have me preform. I swallowed loudly, following my gut instinct.

"Dare."

"I dare you to eat your entire tub of candy corn."

"Okay." I said. Shock stood up and dashed down the hallway. Moments later she returned with my metal bucket overflowing with candy corn. She placed it in front of me, then sat back down next to Lock.

"Go ahead." she told me. I nodded and began scarfing down the candy corn. At first, it tasted delicious, and I wanted to laugh at Shock for coming up with such an easy dare. But around my 200th candy corn, they suddenly began to not taste so good. I had at least 150 more left in the bucket, if not more. I surpressed a groan.

Shock watched, her grin widening as my look changed from hungry/happy to nasty/im going to puke. This was her payback for me challenging her. She was good. Too good. Uhg.

Desdemona watched, two parts fascination and one part disgust. Locks' eyes flickered to Shock about every fifteen seconds. To occupy my mind from the taste of the now gross candy corns, I studied random objects in the room. The couch, with stuffing falling out of it, the tv, with cracks in its screen from all the times we hit it while fighting. The wooden floors, uneven and slightly dusty, the walls, with gaps in the wood, and darts, knives, and axes stuck into it. My eyes strayed to the iron chute that we used to feed bugs to Oogie Boogie with. It was shaped like some kind of mouth, with teeth and angry eyes painted on it. Lock had installed crooked iron bars into the chute opening, which could be taken out, but didn't look like they could. I glanced back down at my bucket, and saw there was only one candy corn left. I sighed in relief and popped it into my mouth. Then I lay back on the floor and groaned.

"Finished. There. Done." I panted. I pushed myself back up. Now, it was my turn.

"Shock, truth or dare?" I asked her. Please pick truth, please pick truth! I thought hopefully.

"Hmm..truth."

YES!

"Okay, tell us what your dream was about." I told her, not trying to control my smile in the slightest. Her face changed to one of fear, embarresment, and surprise.

"I-I don't remember." she stuttered, but it was obvious to even me that she was lying.

"Shock, you have to tell the truth." Desdemona chided. Shock crossed her arms, and stared at the floor. Then her head shot up.

"No, I don't want to."

"You have to-" I started to tell her.

"Give me the counter-truth." she told me. I sighed. I turned my gaze to the ceiling, just like Desdemona had done. Then a thought hit me, and I smiled bright again.

Thank you, ceiling. You really do work.

"Okay, I dare you to tell just Lock what your dream was about." she looked so shocked I thought her eyes would pop out of her head. I knew I had won.

Shock hesitated. I waited. She glared at me for the longest time, but she knew she was beat. She sighed and dipped her head, leaning into Lock. She began whispering in his ear. Locks' face was one of surprise and delight. His cheeks turned slightly pink, and I wondered really what Shock had dreampt. Oh, well, I knew Lock would probably spill to me later.

When Shock finished explaining her dream to Lock, she leaned away, not meeting anyones gaze for a moment. Then her fierce eyes snapped to mine. Her face was bright pink.

"There, done. Now I get to truth or dare someone."

I was sure she was going to truth or dare me, but instead she turned to Lock.

"Lock, truth or dare?" she asked, looking as sweet as possible.

"Dare."

"I dare you to punch Barrel as hard as you can." she said. I gulped, Lock had good punches. Lock grinned devilishly and walked over to me.

"Don't do this, man." I told him. He smiled, then leaned over me and whispered in my ears.

"Just fake it, alright? I owe you for letting me know about her dream. Damn, she's so hot. Okay?" he told me. I nodded. He straightened up.

"Where do you want me to?" he asked Shock.

"Groin." she answered, nonchalantly. Lock nodded and swung. His fist whizzed inches from me, but barely brushed the fabric of my clothes. Calling my best acting skills to me, I leaned over, groaning in "pain" and swearing. I did this for a few seconds, then stopped so as not to play it out too long. I arranged my face into one of pain as I waited for Lock to truth or dare someone. A minute later, I ended the charade all together, feeling somewhat proud of myself.

"Desdemona, truth or dare?" Lock asked.

"Hmm..let me go with dare." she grinned. Lock nodded.

"I dare you to...kiss Barrel." Lock decided, smiling.

Oh, holy shit.

Desdemonas' eyes shot wide open, then she turned to look at me. I stared back at her, waiting. I hoped like hell that she would kiss me, yet I also hoped she wouldn't.

She leaned in.

Her eyes began to close, and so did mine. When there was hardly any distance between our lips, I pushed myself fowards, gently resting my lips on hers. We held them there for a moment, unsure of what to do. Then, something inside me stirred. Something I had never felt before, but needed to express. Tenderly, I reached my hand out to cup her face.

How could I express it?

My other hand rested on her shoulder. She lifted her own hands, slowly, to rest one around my neck and the other in my hair, twining her fingers through it. Our lips began to move with one anothers, slowly coming to life. I brought her closer to me, tasting her and loving it. She tasted of candy corn and desire, and her lips were cold as ice, but not unpleasant. I slipped my tongue into her mouth, exploring greedily. I had no control over what I was doing, a part of my brain I had never used took over. I gave in to my senses, kissing her fully. The kiss roughened, and our tongues began to dance.

It felt so right.

Her tongue explored my mouth, curious and tentative, and it took all my strength to control the soft moan bubbling in my throat. A hint of it slipped out, and she withdrew her tongue, but didn't break the kiss. It rested again, soft, our mouths slightly parted. Then,  
it broke, and just our gazes held. Her eyes were ice blue, and I felt lost in them, but found at the exact same time.

This was a feeling I never knew before.

Finally, she untangled her hands from my hair, placing them into her lap. Reluctantly, I removed my hand from her face. Then I turned to Lock and Shock. Both of their mouths were agape, looking as if they had just seen the moon turn to a flower.

"What?" I asked them.

"N-nothing." Lock managed, coming out of his trance. He poked Shock, and she in turn blinked, shaking her head slightly and refocusing.

"Okay, cool. Desdemona, your turn."

I scooted nearer to her, intwining my fingers with hers behind our backs.

Locks P.O.V

I layed in my bed, unable to achieve sleep. I kept thinking about today, and the weird game Desdemona had taught us. I thought about all the things we had done. Shock and I had been dared to do multiple things, as well as say multiple things that exposed too much of our feelings to the other. I didn't mind though, everything Shock had said had made me happy.

I couldn't believe her dream! I never guessed that Shock would be the type of girl to have such dreams, but apparently I had been wrong. For some reason, that turned me on. I felt the stiffness in my pants and jumped up, pacing, to shake off its' feeling.

Instead of thinking of Shock as I wanted to, I thought of Barrel. It was obvious he liked Desdemona, and I believed she liked him too. When the had kissed, it had been clear as day. I wondered what was going to become of the odd two.  
Would they end up like me and Shock?

At just the mere thought of Shock, I felt the stiffness re-appear. I sighed, longing to be with her at that exact moment.

So why don't you see her? my brain challenged. I was learning to love when it did that.

I opened my door a crack and slipped out, into the dark hallway. I tiptoed to Shocks room, then shifted nerovously outside her tightly closed door.

What would she think of me appearing at her door at midnight? I lifted my hand to knock, then thought better of it. I didn't want to wake the whole house, lest they think we were up to something that we deffinitely weren't. Instead, I slipped into her room, making not the slightest noise.

"Who's there?" Shock whispered, fear and challenge both in her voice.

"Just me." I told her, closing the door gently and padding over to her bed.

"What are you doing in here?" she asked me. She was laying on her back, the comforter pulled up to her chin. Her gray eyes looked silver in the moonlight that filtered in her window, and her inky hair waved around her on the pillow, making her look like she was underwater.

"Couldn't sleep." I shrugged.

"Neither could I." she told me.

I stared at her, and she stared back. Finally, she rolled her eyes.

"You getting in or what?" she asked. I was glad it was dark, so she couldn't see my blush.

Shock wanted me to get in her bed with her at night.

"Uh, sure." I answered. I stood for a moment longer, unsure.

"Well?" Shock asked again.

"I'm trying to work up the guts to get into your bed with you." I told her truthfully.

She giggled. "Just get in." she told me. This time, I obeyed, flipping back the covers before crawling under them. I could make out the shape of her long legs, exposed by a short nightgown. I did my best to control myself, scooting over to her and pressing my body to hers.

I never thought that at 14, I would be sharing a bed with Shock. Of course, I never thought i'd fall in love with my best friend, either.

She pressed her toes to my shins, and turned on her side to look at me. I looked at her. Without any warning, she kissed me.  
It wasn't long, just simple and sweet, but it was enough to make my heart race.

She pulled back, but I wasn't done. I drew her face back to me with one finger, bringing her lips to mine. I kissed her softly, basking in the feeling of it all and the way the moonlight shone through my closed eyelids, turning the moment silver. Gently, I wrapped my arms around her. She rested her hands on my chest, feeling my heart pound as I guided my tongue through her mouth. I already knew it so well.

I never wanted this moment to end. It was soft, gentle, perfect, everything loving her should be.

I kissed her neck, feeling her stretch in my arms, extending her body. I kissed the hollow of her throat, then gently brushed my lips back up her neck.

She shivered.

I wrapped my arms tighter around her, and she burried her head into my chest. I heard her sigh dreamily.

"You should come in here more often." she whispered. I chuckled.

"Yeah. Maybe I will."

Holding her in my arms, it didn't take long for me to fall into a contended sleep.


	10. Home Alone

Disclaimer: I am only claiming Desdemona as my own character. The rest NBC characters aren't mine...yet.

Rated T for language and some content. No flames!

Review! ^_^

Author note: Sorry I haven't updated in a few days, i've been oober busy. But this is chapter 10! I hope this chapter doesnt exceed my TEEN rating, but sorry if it does. I hope you enjoy it anyways, and review like always. Thanks :) enjoyy

Chapter 10:

Shocks P.O.V

I woke up groggy and disoriented. My first thought was "I wonder why there are no astronauts in Halloween Town." My second (and more reasonable thought) was "What woke me up?"

I rubbed my eyes and blinked until they focused. I was staring at a dull wooden wall, laying on my side. I lifted my head and glanced around the room, hoping to hear or see some kind of indicator as to who or what woke me up. Everything seemed as normal as always. It was then that I heard soft breathing. I whipped my head around to find its' source, and saw Lock laying fast asleep on my matress next to me. He had rolled over in his sleep to face me, one arm slung over my waist. I sighed and smiled, before gently turning over to face him, careful not to disturb his arm.

He looked peaceful in his sleep, his pale eyelids closed, his hair muddled and messy around his two devil horns (he'd grown real ones when he hit puberty), his chest rising and falling with his breathing. Oh, his chest. He wore no shirt, and his slim muscles were exposed for me to stare at fully and freely, to admire they way they bulged under his creamy skin, and to long to have them encase me in a heated embrace.

And just like that, my mind had gone from peaceful to the gutter.

I blushed despite myself, and forced my thoughts away from such things. Instead, I slowly reached out a hand to touch his muscles.

I just want to feel them, I thought to myself, as though to convince myself all I would do was touch his chest. In reality, I longed to do so much more.

I pressed my palm gently to his soft white skin, and held it there until I could feel his heartbeat. Then I stroked his chest, lightly, up and down for a few moments, lingering in the sensation of his skin under my fingers. I dragged the tips on my fingernails up his chest, causing him to shiver in his sleep. His fingers tightened instinctively on my waist. I continued to brush my fingers up and down his chest, watching his face as he dreampt.

I wonder what he dreams about.

I was contemplating this matter when Lock stretched, squeezing his eyes tightly shut for a moment, before snapping them open, resting his deep yellow gaze on me.

"Morning." I whispered.

"Morning." he whispered back, his voice husky. He grabbed my hand. I hadn't realized I was still touching his chest, and I blushed.

"I could feel you in my dream." he told me truthfully. I smiled in spite of myself.

"And?" I challenged.

"It felt nice." he smiled. "Mhh, i'm hungry. You think Barrel's up yet?" Lock asked. I sighed, wishing we could go back to the subject of how I made him feel. I wondered if he knew his very presence sent me shivering in exictement, tearing my mind to shreds with the most dirty of thoughts. I shook my head, hoping to clear it.

"Uh..i'm not sure." I answered truthfully, then yawned.

Just then, we heard banging footsteps in the hallway.

"Shock? Will you make me breakfast? I'm too tired to cook. Shock?" Barrel swung open the door, before Lock or I had any time to react.

"Shock-" his voice cut off when he saw me lying in bed with Lock.

"Uh..woah. Sorry to interrupt. I'll just let you two...do what you do.." Barrel muttered uncomfortably, while stepping backwards out of the room and beginning to close the door.

"Barrel!" I screeched, jumping up and flinging the covers off me. "Relax, we're not DOING anything!" I told him, even though a part of me wished we HAD been. I told that part to shutup. It was not the time for that.

"Yeah, jeez Barrel. You think we would-?" Lock started, sounding a bit strangled. He couldn't finish his sentence.

"I dunno." Barrel said, not meeting either of our gazes.

"Barrel, cool it. We were NOT having SEX. Okay?" I told him, placing my hands on my hips.

"Okay gotcha." Barrel said, finally looking up. I could see that both Barrel AND Lock were surprised I had actually said the word "sex."

What were they, two?

"I guess i'll cook up some breakfast. What do you guys want? Oh, and wake up Desdemona too." I told them.

10 minutes later, I was standing (more like swaying) in the kitchen, digging through the cuboards.

"What do you guys want?" I called to them.

"Bacon!"

"Eggs!"

"Candy!"

I sighed and pulled out a box of cereal. After fixing each person a bowl, and adding a lollipop to Barrel's, I headed into the living room where they all sat. Desdemona had her hair in a sloppy ponytail, and was sitting extremely close to Barrel. I handed each of them a bowl of cereal and sat down.

"What do you want to do today?" Lock asked around his cereal. Because of his chewing, it sounded more like "Rut du you rant ta du tudey?"

I shrugged and swallowed a spoonfull of cereal.

Barrel looked up at the ceiling, then back at us.

"I got it!" he told us enthusiastically.

"Hm?" I asked him, curious as to what he might have thought of.

"Why don't Desdemona and I go out to town and you two do something here?"

I just stared. At first, I was mad. Barrel wants to ditch us for Desdemona? Then I began thinking. Desdemona is probably the first girl Barrel has ever liked, so it would make sense he would want to hang out with her, without us. And if Lock and I stayed here, we would have the whole house to ourselves...

I began talking to keep the images at bay.

"Yeah I guess that's okay. I mean, i'm sure Lock and I can find something to do here." I turned to Lock. I saw he was thinking the same thing about the Barrel-never-liking-a-girl-before situation, and he nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, you two have fun on your date." Lock grinned and wagged his eyebrows.

He was so cute I could die.

Barrel blushed.

"It's not a date." he mumbled, glancing over at Desdemona. Her cheeks were flushed as bright as Barrels'.

"Says who?" she challenged softly, then giggled and took Barrels' hand. Barrels' face lit up about as bright as the moon.

"Bye guys." he called, standing and leading Desdemona to the elevator cage. When they had rattled out of sight, I turned to Lock.

"Uh, want to...go in my room?" I asked him, unsurely.

"Sure." he answered easily. I could feel my heart racing as I led him into my room.

Relax, I told myself. He was just going into my room, that's all. He's done it a thousand times before. No big deal.

Yeah, but you want him in your room for different reasons then this time! my brain challenged.

Shut up, I told it. I controlled my mind babble, and turned to Lock.

"Want to listen to some music?" I asked him. He nodded, smiling. My heart skipped a few beats. I headed over to the black boom box and turned it on. I ignored the song that played, instead sitting down on my bed. I took a deep breath and patted the spot beside me. Lock sauntered over and sat next to me. Tenderly, he wrapped his arm around my waist.

My stomach did a little flip inside me.

I turned to him, and before any words could be uttered, he pressed his lips to mine.

I loved it.

I moved my lips with his, tasting his tongue. He tasted like peppermint, which for some reason turned me on even more then I already was. I wrapped my arms around his neck and deepened the kiss, letting my tongue wander his mouth and throat. He followed my lead. I felt thrills run through my body as one of his hands cupped my breast. I moaned softly, my tongue becoming more hungry.  
His kiss, in turn, became more demanding, and I was eager to give him what he wanted. I pressed myself to him until I was nearly on top of his lap. He moved his hands from my boobs to the small of my back, pressing me into him.

Behind my closed lids, I saw red hot fire. My whole body burned with longing, and every shard of common sense I owned evaporated, making more room for other emotions to fill me. Every part of my body begged for more.

He pushed me back onto my bed, leaning over top of me. We never broke our kiss. He moaned softly, stimulating what I already felt. I reached my hands under his shirt and rubbed his smooth muscles, enjoying their feel. Another soft moan escaped him, and he moved his kissed to my jaw, then down my neck.

"Lock." I gasped between breaths.

"Hm?" he asked, his lips brushing against my throat.

"I want you."

He chuckled, and continued kissing until he reached the hollow of my throat.

I didn't think he understood, so I tried again.

"Lock."

"What?" he asked, this time more clearly, his breath fanning my throat and sending shivers all over my body.

"I WANT you." I told him again. This time he seemed to understand. His lips paused.

"I want you too." he whispered, panting slightly.

"Then have me." I whispered eagerly. "I'm already yours.''

He chuckled again, then his voice became very serious.

"I don't want to do anything you'll regret." he told me. I felt my heart jump at how sweet he was.

I was so lucky.

"Then, please, don't stop." I told him.

He kissed back up my neck, stopping on the edge of my jaw.

"You sure?" he asked, one more time.

"Yesss." I breathed, dragging out the ''s."

He let a low moan escape, then pulled me up from the bed and onto two legs. Immediately, I pulled his shirt off, before kissing down his chest. He shuddered underneath my lips. Without pausing my kisses, he pulled my nightgown over my head, and tossed it in the corner of my room. I paused at his waist band, kissing gently before slowly undoing his zipper, one tooth at a time. Then I yanked his pants down to his ankles. He kicked them off.

He grabbed my shouders then, pulling me roughly to him, then smashing my lips to his. It was not unpleasant, and I actually enjoyed his rough treatment. I kissed him hard, spilling my passion into him. He fuddled with my bra latch, finally undoing it. I slipped out of it and pressed myself to him. He held me tight. His fingers danced at the edges of my underwear, waiting for the right moment to slip them off.

"You sure you want to do this?" he asked me, one more time. I looked into his yellow eyes, his sweet face. I pressed myself against his hard body in a silent answer, and nodded, smiling. He grinned at me. He was so sexy.

I pushed him back onto my bed, throwing myself on top of him, and pulling the comforter over our bodies.

"I love you." I told him. And I truly did. There was no one I would rather have my first time with then him.

"I love you." he whispered in my ear. I shivered, and slipped off his boxers.

Locks P.O.V

It was SO much pleasure. Being inside Shock was like no experience i've ever had before. Hearing her moan my name was my greatest joy. Her nails dug into my back, making me arch against her. God, she felt so good. I moaned with her, my senses stimulated, and one thought continuously running through my mind: "I love Shock."

I loved her so, so much. I kissed her hard, wanting all of her, so glad she was letting me finally have her. The reality of it was 100 times better then all of my fantasies.

We made love for hours.

When we finally finished, we just lay in bed. I held her close to my chest, feeling her naked body pressed against mine as she breathed. Before long, she was asleep.

I stayed awake, mulling over all that had happened, not regretting a single thing. She had been perfect.

A rattling of chains and a slam woke me from my peaceful dream of Shock. I listened for a moment as quiet voices drifted to my ears. Then, the realization of it hit me, and I sat straight up.

Barrel and Desdemona were home. Shit.

I nudged Shock.

"Shock." I whispered. She didn't stir.

"Shock, wake up." I tried again, not daring to raise my voice.

"Mhh?" she mumbled, blinking her unfocused eyes.

"Shock, Barrel and Desdemona are home." I told her. She sat straight up.

"Oh my god, they are?" she screeched.

"Yes, shh!" I told her. "C'mon, let's get dressed." We both sprang from bed. She swayed violently, nearly toppling over. I grabbed her before she hit the floor, lifting her up by the elbow.

"Woah, you okay?" I asked her, slightly worried.

"Yeah, just...stood up too fast." she assured me slowly. I hesitated.

"Really, i'm fine. You can let go." she told me.

"I sighed and reluctantly dropped hold of her elbow.

"Shock? Lock?" Barrel called. His voice was getting closer.

"Shit." I mumbled.

"Shock! Lock!" Barrel yelled, his footsteps echoing down the hall towards us.

I tossed Shock the first thing I saw, and slipped on my boxers and pants as fast as I could. Shock slipped on her underwear.

"Where's my bra?" she hissed, her face worried.

"No clue!" I answered frantically, scanning the room. My eyes settled on something black and lacey.

"There-" I pointed, but my sentence was cut off by a door creaking open. I turned in time to see Barrels' shocked expression.

"Lock? Shock?" Barrel asked, confused.

"Er..hi." I said, turning to face Barrel. Shock came and stood next to me, her body tense.

"Uh..hi." Barrel said calmly. He surveyed the scene of the room: bed messed up, random clothing strewn across the floor, and our apparel: me in boxers and drooping pants, Shock in MY shirt and no bra.

"Would you like to explain to me why you are HALF NAKED?" Barrel yell-asked.

I gulped.

"Uh..see...when uh..two people like eachother alot..they uh..can.." I tried to explain, but my cheeks felt too hot to continue my explanation.

"You two had sex?" Barrel asked calmly.

"Uh..yeah." I replied, not meeting his gaze.

I waited in silence. Finally Barrel said, "Well, i'll just let you two finish up then." He began to close the door, pushing Desdemona out of the room.

"No! Barrel, wait. We're done." I told him.

"Oh." he mumbled.

"Are you mad?" Shock asked quietly.

Barrel shook his head. "Nah, just...surprised." He answered truthfully. Shock let out a sigh of relief.

"My two best friends in the entire world just had sex with eachother." he stated, as if saying it would make it more real to him.

"And they are only 14. How nice." Barrel said, deep in thought. "Okay, i'll let you two get dressed." he finally told us. On his way out the door, he called one more thing.

"Hope the condom didn't break!" he let out a cackle, then shut the door.

My blood turned to ice.

"Condom?" squeaked Shock.


	11. The Test

I don't own any of the NBC characters! But i'm madly in love with them 3

Reviews keep me going!

Author's note: Special thanks to all my reviewers! You guys encourage and inspire me! I hope you enjoy chapter 11! Oh, and by the way, I was thinking of doing a Desdemona P.O.V, but i'm not sure. If you think it's a good (or bad) idea, let me know! Kay,  
here you go...story time ^_^

Chapter 11: The Test

Locks P.O.V

I stood still as stone, my brain slowly breaking apart and putting back together 6 letters and their meaning. Shock's voice disrupted my thoughts.

"How could we forget to use a condom?" wailed Shock, dropping her head in her hands.

I wanted to kill myself. How could I be so stupid? I should've thought of using one! I actually had some in my room, too! And now,  
due to my stupidity, I put Shock in a frightening and potentially dangerous situation. What if I got her...pregnant?

I realized that Shock was standing alone, crying, while I stood like a complete idiot jerk-off staring at her. I walked tentatively towards her, stopping next to her.

What if she didn't want my comfort? What if she was mad at me? I would be. Just the thought of her being angry with me brought pain to my gut, and I reached out to her, draping an arm over her shoulder.

"Shock, I am so sorry. I should've...I mean it's my fault really...I just wasn't..." I searched for the right words to make her understand how truly sorry I was. She wrapped both her arms around my waist and buried her head in my shoulder.

"Itsnotyourfault." she said in a muffled whisper. I could feel her warm tears in my collarbone.

"Regardless, if anything happens to you I will never forgive myself." I said, my voice pained. I thought about the very real future that could be ours if Shock was...

I couldn't even think the words.

"Oh Lock," she whispered, turning her face up towards me.

"You're so sweet, this isn't your fault. It's OUR fault, we were both stupid. But we can get through this, we can get through this.."

"Together." I finished for her.

She smiled through her tear-streaked face, before unwrapping her arms from me. She wiped her cheeks on the back of her hand.

"What do we do now?" she asked.

"I don't know...should we tell Barrel?" I asked unsurely.

"No!" she blurted. "No no no no no, we don't tell anyone! At least until we are sure that i'm not..like...pregnant." she gulped when she said the word "pregnant," and her eyes welled with tears. I pulled her into a hug again, securing my arms around her.

"It's okay, it's okay." I repeated, even though we both knew it was deffinitly NOT okay. We had both become so overpowered with desire, we had abandoned all common sense. And now, due to it, we were faced with the possibility with a life-altering situation. Just the thought of being a father scared me to the core. I was barely a teenager! How could I ever be a dad to a child I didn't want?

Shock pulled away. "We'd better get dressed." she said, then took my shirt off and tossed it to me. I tried not to stare as she put on her bra.

Stupid! That's what got us in this whole mess in the first place! I thought to myself. Ashamed, I looked at the floor as I finished getting dressed. When we were both properly clothed, we left the scene of the action. I headed to my room, claiming I was tired.

Shock looked slightly worried, but I kissed her softly on the lips to asure her everything was all right between us. As I walked to my room I made a promise to myself. If Shock WAS...pregnant, I would stand by her no matter what. I wouldn't walk away out of fright or anger, I wouldn't make her go through this alone. It was my fault after all. If she DOES get pregnant, I would be the one that knocked her up with the mutant spawn. I closed my door a little too forcefully, before plopping down on my unmade bed.

Sleep didn't come quick, but when it came, I didn't have a single dream.

******::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 6 DAYS LATER... ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::******

Shocks P.O.V

"I'm going to town." I called to the boys (and girl) from my place in the elevator. Barrel and Desdemona were licking on lollypops (he'd got her hooked on those things), with a pile of soggy lolly-sticks laying in-between them. Lock was upside down on the couch,  
flicking the cushion with his tail. He looked at me, and I gave him a knowing look in return. His eyes widened slightly, and he nodded almost imperceptibly. He knew what I meant.

I lowered the elevator and stepped out of it and onto the bridge. The wind was bitter, and it nipped at the top of my ears. I fluffed my hair to shelter them, and began speedwalking towards town. I wore the longest purple dress I owned (sadly, it only reached my knees), and an oversized red hoodie i'd borrowed from Lock. I lowered the brim of my hat to hide my face. I felt like everyone knew.

Could they tell I wasn't a virgin?

Last time I checked, there were no physical signs showing you had lost your virginity, but who knew? Maybe for witches, their face turned bright purple and their head spun around 360 degrees, and when people saw you, they knew.

Of course, I didn't regret having sex with Lock. It had been amazing, everything I had expected my first time to be. I only regretted not using a condom.

I passed through the gates and into Halloween Town, my head and gaze downcast. I headed towards the maternity shop that Sally had opened up after she had had her first child. It was tiny, but stocked full of pink and blue crap and "what to expect" baby books.  
And another thing too: pregnancy tests.

That was my goal.

I closed my fist around the 5 dollar bill in the pocket of Lock's hoodie. I had hoped to steal it, but at the same time I knew that was an unrealistic possibility with Sally there, and so i'd stolen 5 dollars from Barrel. The wind tried to rip my hat of my head, luckily it was unsuccessful. It was successful, however, in turning my hair into a wild mane.

I stopped on the steps leading into the small shop. A weathered sign reading "Sally's Shop for Mothers" hung slightly crooked above a cracked glass door. A sign reading "open" hung on the other side of the glass. I took three deep breaths and pushed open the door.

It was pure nasty. Everything was pink or blue, or white. A few black and orange things were seen here and there, but not much. Cribs, toys, blankets, clothes, books, and anything remotely babyish covered every inch of the store. Sally sat behind a white counter, checking out a fat corpse mother who had placed at least 5 books on the counter top. A little bell dinged as I stepped in along with a rush of cold air, announcing my arrival. Sally looked up from the counter with a smile on her face, one that quickly faded into a look of curiousity. I shivered and headed over to a wooden shelf with several pregnany tests on it.

"Hello, Shock, i'll be right with you." she called professionally from her perch at the counter as she bagged the corpse lady's books.  
I nodded and faced the shelf, which seemed to tower over me.

All different kinds of tests lined the shelves, all with different slogans to reel in the buyer. I felt like they were in a foriegn language.  
I absently picked up a box and read the back. One line= pregnant. Two lines= not pregnant.

That seemed easy enough. I read the instructions, then read them again. They didn't soak into my brain. I was consumed with fear.  
If I bought this test, and took it, what if it came up positive? What if I was pregnant? In a matter of hours, my life could be changed forever.

I wanted to cry.

I wanted to cry for being so stupid.

I wanted to cry for doing this to Lock.

I wanted to cry for doing this to myself.

I wanted to cry just to cry, because I didn't know what else to do.

"Shock?" Sally's voice snapped my out of my depressing thoughts, and I jumped. I looked over my shoulder at her, careful to make sure the object in my hand couldn't be seen.

"Anything you need my help with?" she asked uncertainly. Worry and confusion was plain on her face, as well as suspicion. Maybe she thought this was a prank. I hoped she did.

"N-no." I called back at her, then looked away and back at the shelf. I couldn't linger here forever. I needed to know. I grabbed two other tests and brought them to the counter.

I felt humiliated.

I placed the three pregnancy tests on the counter, not daring to meet Sally's gaze.

"Who are these for?" Sally asked absently as she began ringing them up.

"Uh..me." I admitted sheepishly.

I knew her expression must be one of surprise and horror.

"Oh, I see." she said softly.

"Yeah." I mumbled.

"Did you have..?" she asked uncertainly. I wanted to scream "Well DUH!" but didn't, I knew Sally was only trying to be of help, and was most likely curious as well. She had taken a motherly interest towards me, Lock, and Barrel every since Oogie Boogie was vanquished. I swallowed my sarcasm and answered as truthfully as I could without breaking into tears.

"Yeah. Me and Lock had sex."

"And you didn't use a condom?" she asked uncertainly.

"Yeah..we uh..forgot." I answered lamely. I couldn't bare to meet her gaze.

"Shock." said Sally.

"Look at me."

I hesitated, but finally looked at her. I expected her to lecture me on how wrong I had been and how stupid I was, but she just stared,  
something in her gaze that made me feel even sadder then I already did. Finally, I broke my gaze from hers.

"Are those mine?" I asked her, using annoyance to hide the tears in my voice.

"Yep." she replied breezily. I knew she was trying to be casual, she must know how upset I was. I wanted to hug her for being so sweet.

"That'll be $7.50." she said. I pulled out the 5 dollars I had, and stared at the crumpled bill in my hand.

"I only have five." I told her, placing the money on the counter.

"That's okay, go ahead." Sally said softly. I was grateful, and snatched the bag quickly before sweeping away from the counter. I pushed my way out the door, but paused 3 quarters out.

"Thank you." I called softly to her. She made no response, but I saw her smile at me, and that was enough to make me smile back.

Then I dashed down the stairs and ran all the way home.

When I made it back to the treehouse, I announced my arrival with the chattering of chains and my stomping.

"I'm home!" I called to no one in particular.

I was immediatly met by Lock.

"Barrel and Desdemona went to Barrels room to 'get more lollypops' but I think they're really making out." he told me. I smiled.

"So now is the time. We should probably..." Lock trailed off, but I knew how he was going to finish his sentence.

"Yeah." I said. "I'll go...to the bathroom. You just..wait here." I told him. My whole body was trembling. He nodded, looking scared.

"Hey." I whispered. He looked at me. Were those..tears in his eyes? God, he was so sweet. I kissed him soft and long on the lips.

"Be right back." I told him, then headed into the bathroom.

I shut the door, then locked it. My hands were shaking violently as I opened each test. I followed the instructions on each one (they were all pretty much the same) and waited the allotted three minutes. I listened to the ticking of the clock until I knew my time was up.

I waited. I didn't want to look. My life was about to possibly be changed forever. But I had to. I had to know.

Now or never.

Here goes.

I opened my eyes and stared at the three tests in front of me.

I breathed out a long sigh.

"Lock!" I called. I heard pounding footsteps down the hall, and then a pause.

"Shock?" Lock said from the other side of the door.

"Yeah, come in here." I said. He opened the door a crack, and peeked in.

"I can come in?" he asked unsurely.

"Yeah, that's what I just said." I told him, rolling my eyes slightly. He opened the door all the way, stepped inside, and closed the door quickly behind him.

"What is it?" he asked me, coming to stand by my side. I wrapped my arm around his waist.

"What do all three of those tests say?" I asked, my voice smooth as glass.

He looked at each one, then the boxes that indicated what each signal meant. I saw his eyes flash like crazy as he took in the tests and the boxes.

Then his face setteled into relief, and he let out a sigh that slumped his shoulders.

"Your not pregnant."


	12. From Flirty to Fists

Once again: None of the NBC characters are mine, because if they were then this disclaimer wouldn't be here.

I only own Desdemona!

Reviews...give me some!

Author's note: First, like always, THANK YOU TO MY REVIEWERS! You guys rock! Second, the random 3 in my last disclaimer was supposed to be a heart, but for some reason it didn't work. Third, sorry about the weird sentences that cut off in the middle, my computer is weird and suckish. Fourth, sorry it's been so much Lock and Shock P.O.V, i'll try to get some more of Barrel and possibly a Desdemona P.O.V in here somewhere. Fifth, i'll shutup now so you can read chapter 12.

Chapter 12: From Flirty to Fists

Locks P.O.V

Relief washed through my body like a cold rain. Three words ran through my head: "She's not pregnant." I hugged her close to me,  
wrapping my tail around her legs and my arms around her shoulder.

"Thank Satan." I whispered to her, and she giggled.

"Let's get rid of these things." she said, unwinding herself from my arms in order to get to the pregnancy tests. I nodded in agreement and started to help her.

I was thankful beyond belief that this would be the last time I would see one of those things for a LONG time.  
(A/N: oh no, did he just jinx it?)

Barrels P.O.V

I released Desdemona's lips from mine, controlling my gasping breaths the best I could. She looked just as winded as I did, and she sat up, running a hair through her tangled blonde ringlets. After a few moments, she stood up, grabbing my hand and pulling me onto my feet with her.

"What do you want to do now?" she asked me, staring straight into my eyes with her ice blue gaze. My pants tightened.

"Uh-uh I- I don't know! What do you want to do?" I asked her unsurely. I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to do what we had been doing for the last 5 minutes, which had been basically one huge heavy makeout scene. I wanted it to turn in to something more.

No, pervert! My brain snapped. You want to be like Lock and Shock? Gross. I still couldn't believe they had done that. I mean, really. Just..ew.

Desdemona squeezed my hand. "Let's go into town." she suggested.

"Okay, yeah." I agreed. "Let's just..get dressed properly." I told her. She nodded and headed over to my closet. She didn't really have a room here, she mostly slept on the couch or in my bed (actually sleep, not "sleep"), and she kept her new clothes in my closet. I was hoping she would stay with us here, because really she didn't have anywhere else to go, and it's not like I even wanted her to leave anyways.

I watched her absently, feeling a swelling in my heart. I was still trying to figure out what it was I felt, with no luck. She pulled on a light gray sweatshirt, and kept on her torn skirt rather then pants. She slipped on her gray boots, and was ready to go. I followed her lead, putting on a black sweatshirt with a large skull on the back, dark green skinny jeans, and a gray shirt. I pulled the shirt collar up a little bit to hide my hicky.

Then I took her hand and we left for town, without bothering to let Lock or Shock know. They would figure it out soon enough. I gripped her hand tightly as we walked up the hill.

"Damn," she breathed, her breath smoking. "It's cold."

"You got that right." I agreed with her. I pulled her into me, encasing her in my arm. She wrapped her arm around my waist in return,  
and this is how we entered town.

"Where do you want to go?" she asked.

"I dunno, anywhere. Let's just walk." I said. I didn't want to do anything but be close to her.

"Okay." she answered lightly, fine with doing whatever I wanted to do.

We entered town square, met by the sight of the four kids.

The oldest, a little older then me, was standing tall by the fountain, looking professional and stupid at the exact same time. I had heard about him, he was the most arrogant. He believed that because his father was pumpkin king, so he would be, as he had right to it being the eldest son. He bragged about the most inconsequential things, telling exagerated stories and boasting about his new suits. Despite his prideful nature, most girls found him exceptionally good looking, and half the town was head over heels for him.

He had chestnut hair, empty eye sockets, and was a pretty much a tiny clone of his dad. He wore a black suit with a red tie.

"Manny, stop fussing! You've got to be the most annoying sister in the world!" he snapped, in a proper yet annoying voice. The girl he must've been talking to looked to be about 13, my age, with long blonde hair and yellowish-white cloth skin. Her dress was made of scraps of discarded fabric in every hue of pink, and her feet were placed in actual ballet shoes.

"Don't tell me to stop 'fussing'! I don't give crap what you say! Leonardine said she would be here at three o'clock, which was exactly..." her gaze wandered to the large clock on the top of town hall.

"Exactly 10 minutes ago!" the girl yelled in distress. "And I was so looking foward to getting a ballet lesson today.." The girl's sentence trailed off in dissapointment.

"Whatever, Manny." The boy chirped sarcastically. The girls face turned bright pink.

"Don't call me Manny!" she shrieked. "My name is AMANDA! Not Manny, not Mandi, not Amy, and certainly not Aman-dyke!" she finished her sentence somewhat breathless.

"Whatever, AMANDA. But I saw you kiss that girl." he told her.

"SHE kissed ME." whisper-shrieked Amanda.

These kids were such weirdos. I held Desdemona close to me, and whispered in her ear.

"Those are Jack and Sally's kids. The tall boy's name is Alec, that girl is named Amanda, and the two younger ones are Freddie and Molly." I told her. She nodded.

"The tall one seems kind of stuck up." she told me. I nodded in agreement.

"Let's go somewhere else." I suggested. She nodded gratefully. Just as we were about to leave, the boy, Alec, whipped his skull in our direction, staring for a moment. He looked...well, scary. And mad. It was no secret he despised us (us being me Lock and Shock).

And then he saw Desdemona.

And he smiled.

"Hey!" he called from the fountain. "Come over here!" he waved for us to come to him, and reluctantly we obeyed.

"Hello, Barrel, always good to see you. Who's this?" he asked, his curiousity peaked as he took in her beauty.

I didn't like the way he looked at her.

''I'm Desdemona." she said, sounding cold but polite. Alec smiled.

"Hi. Are you knew here? I haven't seen you before." he talked directly to her, like I wasn't even standing there, with my arm around her.

"Uh, yeah. Kind of, I guess." Desdemona looked uncomfortable, and kept shifting her gaze.

"That's nice. You'll love it here. I can give you a tour, if you'd like." He raised his thin eyebrows, and smiled charmingly.

I held my breath, hoping she would tell this jerk off. He was hitting on her right in front of me!

"Uh, Barrel already gave me a tour, so i'm good." She replied nonchalantly. Alecs' smile faded to a look of slight disgust. He looked at me for the first time since he'd began speaking to us.

"Oh. Well, then, maybe I can give you a tour of the school? You will be going to school, right?" he asked, looking as if not going to school was a crime. For him, maybe it was.

"No." I answered for her. "She suffered with school when she was alive, why deal with it when she's dead?" I pointed out, and she smiled. Alec gave me a deathly stare.

"That's not your choice to make for her. There are so many things she hasn't learned-"

"And she'll learn enough from me and Shock and Lock." I countered.

"Like what? How to have unsafe sex and give proper hickys?" he threw back at me, his voice getting louder.

"What the fuck is your problem, dude?" I asked him. Now, anyone can make fun of me all they want, but when someone brings up my friends, I beat them senseless.

"Nothing. I just think that a beautiful girl like Desdemona should get the best," he started, then paused. "Which obviously isn't you."  
he said to me, but looked at Desdemona. She gasped.

"Well, he's ten times better then your stuck up ass!" she hollered at him.

"Oh yeah?" he grimaced. Desdemona gave a decided jerk of her head.

She was so hot when she got pissed off.

"Freddie, take Molly home." he called to the eight year old skeleton boy, who nodded and grabbed a spinning toddler rag doll with blueish skin, black hair, and a small scrappy dress.

Then he turned back to us. Or, I guess he really only spoke to Desdemona.

"Listen, i'm sorry for coming off so rudely, but you are new and quite beautiful, and it pains me to see you interacting with this filth." He jerked his chin in my direction. My eye twitched.

"I'll show you filth!" I barked, then leapt on him. He was taken by surprise, which was my first advantage. He had no clue I was going to pounce on him, therefore leaving him helpless as I knocked him to the ground. I wasn't fat, but I wasn't exactly "a feather"  
either, and I pinned his hollow bones easily with my muscles. He rolled away, breaking my hold on him and quickly regaining his ground, standing in a crouch.

"Think you're so tough, lover boy?" he sneered.

"Yeah, I do!" I scowled at him, then lunged. I had an advantage of knowing how to fight, what with growing up with Lock and Shock all these years. But he had some knowledge too, and my weak points were his strong ones. He dodged lightly out of my way,  
then grabbed my from behind and tossed me on my back, so I hit the cold stone ground hard. I gritted my teeth against the pain and stood back up.

"Nice." I fake complimented him.

"You think so?" he asked back.

"Sure sure, why not?" I glared, then lunged. He was prepared for my simple lunge, and thrust out his arm to grab me. What he was not prepared for was me veering my course drastically at the last second, so I crashed into his other, totally unprepared side. He toppled to the ground. I aimed a nasty punch at his skull, and though it hurt my hand, it hurt his head even more, and he stumbled under me, weakly trying to push me off.

I backed off him, standing and brushing my pants off. He stood too, then threw a punch that cracked my jaw. I heard Desdemona gasp, and remembered she was watching. I had to win. For her.

With a new purpose, I punched Alec right in the stomach, sending him doubling over. I hit him across the face, and watched him fall to the ground, hitting it with a thud. I went to stand over him, but he knocked out the back of my knees with his leg, which sent me sprawling to the ground. I scraped my palms as I caught myself from smacking face first into the ground.

I felt a sting as blood welled in my hands. I ground my teeth together and reached a gray hand towards him, grabbing his arm and using it to hit himself.

It was a funny way to fight, and I chuckled.

I pushed myself up, wiping my hand against my mouth, and tasting the metallic salty blood smeared on my lips. It tasted gross, and for some reason made me even more angry than I already was. When I was pissed, even the slightest things enhanced my anger.

He punched me, and I punched back, until I had a bloody lip and he had a few cracks in his bones. I heard light footsteps on the cobbled streets, but I was too into fighting the stupid skellington boy to take any notice.

Who cared, anyways?

Just then, Jack Skellingtons' face appeared, monsterous, behind his son, and he began to pry his son away from me. I felt soft hands on my own shoulders, but paid no heed to them, my only goal to beat as much shit out of Alec before his dad took him out of my reach.

"Daddy here to save you, huh? Bitch, you know I won." I spat at him. He glared menacingly.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Jack Skellington and the soft hands on my shoulder tore me and Alec apart, until we were both standing at some distance away from the other, breathing heavily.

Everything was silence for a moment, and I caught sight of Desdemona's worried and somewhat frightened expression. Then Jack Skellington began in a calm, but quickly ascending voice,

"Would you care to tell me WHY YOU WERE BEATING UP MY SON?"

Sally's grip on my shoulders tightened, I think without her being aware of it doing so.

"He was making fun of me, and Lock, and Shock, and Desdemona." I huffed.

Jack was silent as he rubbed his skull with his bony fingers.

"That is still no reason to beat up my son." Jack said, his voice dangerous but calm, like a sea caught in the beginning of a storm.

"The hell it was! Your son is such a prick, I probably would've beaten him up anyways. You're lucky he gave me a reason." I spat at them.

"Do not speak about him in THAT WAY!" Jack's voice rose again, making me shrink back slightly.

"Jack.." Sally cautioned.

"What?" asked Jack, almost disbelievingly. "He's my son, OUR son! You should be defending him too."

Sally paused, then hesitatingly began to speak. "I think..it was wrong of Barrel to beat up Alec. And I think it was wrong of Alec to make fun of Barrel and his friends, especially since we all know how close they are."

Jack glared at Sally. "Are you defending this boy?" asked Jack.

I expected Sally to shrink back, but I felt her stand taller.

"Yes, in a way. I'm defending what is right. Alec had no right to make fun of Barrel and his friends. But Barrel," she said, turning my face to look at her.

"Do not use your fists to solve your problems. I know that's the way you learned, but the way you learn things isn't always the way that's right. You understand?" she told me.

I nodded.

"Good." she said, then released her grip on my shoulders. "It's beginning to rain, Alec, let's get you home. We are going to have a talk about this once we're inside. Barrel, Desdemona, I suggest you leave, too." Sally said to us, her voice cold. Jack, Alec, Desdemona and I all obeyed Sally sheepishly, dipping our heads as if the weight of her disappointment was an actaully heavy burdon on us.

I spat on the ground before wrapping my arms around Desdemona, and we began to set off to home in the light drizzle.


	13. Suspicious of Shock

In case you haven't guessed: I don't own any NBC characters, they belong to Tim Burton. (Hey, Tim? What's yours is mine, right?  
So I can have Lock, Shock and Barrel? ...No? Damn).

Reveiws! They feed the soul, and mine is pretty hungry.

Author's note: Thanks to my reviewers! Like always, you guys never let me down. Your comments keep me strong! And actually, it was one of your very comments that sparked the idea in my head. You'll figure it out soon enough. *dark chuckle* Okay, enjoy,  
my first Desdemona P.O.V! Tell me what you think :)

P.S- This is now taking place about two weeks after the pregnancy test incident, because nothing truly eventful happens in that period of time besides a few makeout and some pranks.

Chapter 13: Suspicious of Shock

Desdemonas P.O.V

It's been alittle over two weeks since I froze to death and winded up with Lock, Shock, and Barrel. And lots of things have happened here with them. Of course, i'm beginning to see that lots of things happen on a normal bases with them. After two simple weeks of living with them, i've come to this conclusion: life with them isn't easy, or sane, but it sure is fucking awesome! Everything I do with them results in laughing till we cry or laughing as we beat eachother up. They sure as hell are teaching me to be tough. I've joined a few brawls with them, but mostly when they fight I stay out of the way. It's too soon to go back down that road again, even if this kind of beating up isn't the same as the kind my dad showed me.

As of right now, I sat on the couch, watching Barrel and Shock fight over the remote, and Lock cunningly changing the channel to his preferred program with the buttons on the tv box. When Shock and Barrel hear the change of voices from the tv, they both look up to glare at Lock, who shrugs his shoulders and munches on a chocolate bar. I laugh out loud.

I already loved these people

Lock and I had become good comrades, often coming to the other about issues with our lovers, and sometimes joining forces to raid candy from the others. Shock and I have become extremely close. I never thought Shock would be the type of girl to confide in another person, seeing as the minute I first saw her I recieved "I-know-everything-and-can-take-care-of-myself" vibes. But she's actually very complex, and over the past two weeks, we've poured secrets into the others' ears, glad to find someone on who we can relate to so easily. I'd like to think of her as my "sister from another mister," except i'm not a complete dork who rhymes stupid words with other stupid words, so i'll just call her my "best friend."

And Barrel, ah Barrel, where do I began? Let me try this: I really like him. Ever since I first saw him, he struck me as handsome yet understanding, even though he himself was often misunderstood. He was kind to me, defended me, knew how to make me feel like the best person alive, and was everything I could ever want. Just thinking about him got me blushing, and I turned my mind back to reality.

"Just give me the remote!" squealed Shock, on top of Barrel.

"Neverrrr!" Barrel yelled back, holding the remote just out of her reach.

"Just change the tv on the box, like I did." Lock suggested. No one listened.

"Barrel, I swear! Give it here, now!"

"Or what?" asked Barrel.

"Or I will personally- OW!" Shock's threat was cut off as she pushed off of Barrel and curled in on her stomach.

"Oww.." she moaned, squeezing her eyes shut.

"Barrel, what'd you do now? Idiot!" Lock glared evily at Barrel.

"Back of, devil. He didn't even touch her." I spat, quick to rush to Barrels' defense. Lock glared at me as well, then turned a suddenly anxious gaze to Shock.

"Babe, what is it?" he asked softly, kneeling next to her.

"My-oh! Stomach." she panted. Lock drew his eyebrows together.

"What did you have to eat?" he asked her curiously. "Maybe it was something bad."

"Just some gumdrops." she mumbled.

"You've been eating those alot lately, maybe you've had too many?" Lock suggested as helpfully as he could.

"Mh. Maybe." Shock nodded, looking still somewhat in pain. Lock wrapped his tail around her and began stroking her side with it.

"Feel better?" he asked her after a moment. Shock nodded. A few moments later she pushed herself up and began walking towards the kitchen.

"Where are you going now?" asked Lock.

"To get some more gumdrops! I feel fine now." she called back, half looking over her shoulder. Lock just shook his head, a small smile on his face. Shock appeared moments later with a tub of gumdrops. I casually reached over to take one, without taking my eyes off the screen. She smacked my hand away.

"Ouch, hey!" I moaned.

"Paws off." she grumbled, then popped a gumdrop in her mouth.

"Whatever." I mumbled in response, not really mad at all.

The rest of the day was odd with Shock. On top of keeping her tub of gumdrops with her at all times, she was getting cranky quite easily. One moment, she would be smiling, laughing, and enjoying herself, and the next she would be yelling, stomping, and spewing gumdrop sugar out of her mouth. I was careful with my words to her, afraid something I said would tick her off. Lock seemed worried too, but Barrel shrugged it off and took a nap.

He was so carefree and lovable, and I wanted to take a nap snuggled with him. Or maybe, NOT take a nap with him...

That night, after I had taken my shower, slipped into pajamas, and was heading into the kitchen for a post-midnight snack, Lock came up to me, nervously twisting his tail in his hands.

"What's up, Doc?" I asked, rummaging through the fridge.

"My name's Lock." Lock corrected.

"I know. Ever heard of bugs bunny?" I asked sarcastically.

"Who?" Lock seemed utterly confused, and I just shook my head in response.

"Nevermind. Why d'you look so freaked?" I asked, appearing with a tub of cream cheese and a cold bagel (don't ask me why there was a bagel in the fride, I have no clue).

"Shock's been acting weird the past few days. I don't get it, what's wrong? Did I do something?" he looked worried as he said this,  
and I felt kind of sorry for the poor guy.

"Nah, I don't think so. All she ever talks to me about is how sweet you are and how much she loves you and blah blah blah.." I trailed my sentence, getting lost in the white waves of cream cheese I was spreading on my bagel.

Lock smiled, but his smile was quickly replaced by an anxious mask. "Then why's she acting so funny?" he asked.

"No clue, how should I know?" I asked him, taking a bite of my bagel.

"You talk to her all the time...I just thought you'd know..." Lock looked up at me hopefully. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Yeah? Well I don't know." I told him simply. "Now let me eat my bagel."

Lock sighed, his shoulders slumping. "You're right, sorry to bother you. I shoudn't of asked you anyways, because she probably wouldn't even tell you what was wrong. She only tells her real friends those kinds of things." he glanced up at me as if looking over a pair of sunglasses to see if I was taking the bait.

Sadly, I was.

"Fine! I'll show you." I glared at him, then stomped of, smoothing my wet hair on my head. I stopped outside Shock's door, paused,  
then knocked heartily three times.

"Who is it?" Shock called from somewhere inside.

"Desdemona, let me in?" I asked. A few seconds later, the door swung open to reveal a damp Shock in a black nightgown with spider patterns all over it. I stepped inside her room, and she closed the door behind me.

"What is it?" asked Shock as I sat down on her threadbare rug.

"Sit." I commanded, patting the spot across from me. She obeyed silently, obviously curious as to what I wanted to talk about.

"Okay, normally i'd beat around the bush, but since i'm kind of pissed at Lock for using reverse scicology on me, i'm just going to straight up tell you what I want." I said to her. She smiled, amused, and waited.

"Lock wants to know what's up. With you being so, uh, moody the past few days. He thinks he did something wrong."

Shock's face flushed.

"No! He didn't do anything wrong! God, he's such a worrier." she mumbled the last part under her breath.

I waited.

So did she.

"Is that all then?" she asked me, her head tilted slightly.

"No, you still didn't answer my first question, which was why have you been acting so weird lately?" I repeated what i'd asked before.

Shock, looking slightly uncomfortable, shrugged her shoulders. I wouldn't of been so suspicious if she hadn't refused to meet my gaze.

"Shock, what is it?" I asked in a motherly tell-me-now tone.

"What is what?" she shot back, annoyance breaking through.

"What is it you're keeping from me?" I shot right back. Shock may be tough, a great liar, and a greater fighter (both with words and fists) but I was close behind her, and her achilles heel wasn't mine.

"I dunno what your talking about." she glared straight at me when she said this, making it obvious that she knew something I didn't,  
and didn't plan on telling me.

"Yeah you do. So spill." I told her, my voice somewhat commanding.

"Are you going to make me?" she challenged. I was about to tell her yes, when an idea popped into my head.

Thank's Lock.

I gave a huge, defeated sigh. "You know I can't. I'm not as strong as you, or as smart. I was just hoping that, since I thought we were such good friends, you would tell me. I thought you would know by now you can trust me with anything, but evidently you're not as smart as I thought so." I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She had been glaring, but her expression softened a bit, and I controlled my smile best I could.

One more line and i'll have her cracked!

"Oh well. Goodnight Shock, hope whatever's bothering you isn't that bad." I pretended to begin pushing myself up off the floor, but her hand flashed out and grabbed my wrist.

"No, wait." she said, almost pleading.

"You're right, I should trust you. I really can't keep this to myself much longer. Come here." she dropped my wrist and crawled over to the egde of her bed, then reached her arm under. She groped underneath for a few moments, then her face brightened and she pulled out a tiny calander.

"What's that?" I asked curiously. Why would she hide a calander under her bed?

"It's my..uh..menstrual calander." she admitted sheepishly.

"Ah." I nodded. "And why are you showing me it?" I asked her.

"Because," she said, then flipped to the current month and pointed to the day.

"In here is where I chart down every day i'm supposed to get my period, because one time I got it in front of Lock and Barrel and didn't know, and it was so embaressing." her cheeks turned light red as she relived the memory of that incident in her head.

"So now I keep a calander, so i'll be prepared for it. Don't tell though, the boys would make fun of me for years!" she almost begged me, and I nodded, smiling lightly.

"Like I said, you can trust me." I told her again. She nodded and continued.

"Yeah, well anyways, I was due on November 14, and, well, LOOK!" she pointed to the day circled, and then the day of today.

"Usually, my predictions are right. I may be late a day here or there, but never have I been a WEEK!" she looked unusually pale, although I couldn't fathom why.

"So? You're probably just late..." I didn't finish my sentence, I was too busy staring at the half strangled expression on her face.

"What if i'm...i'm...pregnant?" she whisper-shrieked at me. I gaped.

"Uh...wow. I didn't think of that. But, that couldn't really happen, unless the condom broke. Did it?" I asked unsurely.

"Uhm..about that.." Shock wouldn't meet my eyes again, so I waited patiently instead of pushing her. This time, I knew she would tell me.

"We uh, kind of didn't, uh, use..a..condom.." she peeked up at me to see my reaction.

"WHAT?" I yelled, then slapped my hand over my mouth. Shock looked devasted and embaressed.

"What?" I whispered loudly after a moment of waiting.

"We didn't use a condom!" she confessed again.

"Oh my god. Why not?" I asked her, disbelievingly.

She glared. "I don't know! You think I didn't want to? Of course I did! I just forgot." she breathed out a heavy sigh, dropping her head in her hands.

"Oh god," she moaned, looking totally defeated. "What if I AM pregnant?" when she looked back up at me, tears were pooling in her eyes.

In a gesture to comfort her, I wrapped my arm around her shoulder.

"It's okay." I told her, petting her soggy hair. "We can just get a pregnancy test tomorrow and check." I did my best to soothe her.

She stood straight up, as if an electric shock had just gone through her whole body (no pun intended).

"Ha! That's it!" she said. I stared at her.

"What's it?" I asked.

"THAT! That's it! I already took a pregnancy test! Three to be exact! And they all came up negative! Ha!" she smiled, then jumped onto her bed. She looked slightly insane, i'm not going to lie, and I approached her slowly, as if she was a rabid dog.

"When did you take a pregnancy test?" I asked her curiously.

"I dunno, like six days after we did it? Who cares? I'm not pregnant!" she giggled and rolled around on her bed, looking utterly as if she'd lost her mind.

"Shock." I said slowly, enunciating each word. "A pregnancy test won't show if you're pregnant or not just six days after you've had sex." I told her carefully.

She sat up again, her hair disheveled. "Yeah it will, 'cause it did." she pouted.

"Shock, it could've very easily been wrong. We can get one tomorrow, just to be safe."

"No." she said decidedly. "Just no."

"Yes." I said. I have to admit, I was honestly worried. It WOULD explain a bunch of her weird behavior over the past few days, if what I suspected to be true turned out to be.

Shock glared. "No. I'm not pregnant. I'm tired, and i'm going to bed. Get out." she pointed at my door.

"Mood swings are another early sign of pregancy." I told her matter-of-factly. She whipped a pillow at my head, sending me running from her room and into the hallway. A moment later, her door slammed behind me.

"Jesus, girl." I muttered to myself, then padded towards Barrel's room. I was in need of a good nights' sleep.

In the morning, I woke up feeling refreshed and peppy. Barrel's arm was around me, and I was warm snuggled underneath his blankets. I laid awake but motionless for a few minutes, then kicked Barrel in the shin.

"Wake up, sleepy head." I whispered.

Barrel made a banana-chewing noise and rolled over.

"Wakey up-py sleepy puppy." I said in a sing-song voice.

"Mhhph." he groaned. I sighed. So, that's how it was going to be.

"Get, UP!" I comanded him, shoving him off the bed. He hit the floor with a hollow thump and sat up, looking disoriented and confused.

"Wha-? Moannie, what was that for?" he blinked until his eyes focused on me. I smiled at his secret nick-name for me.

If anyone else had called me that, I would've slapped them.

"Oh, come one grumpy. Let's go get some fooood." I chimed, then pulled him to his feet and dragged him to the kitchen. Lock was already at the table, chewing on a piece of something dark and crispy.

"What'cha got there?" I asked. I was always weird and cheerful in the morning.

"Spider bacon." he said around chewing, spraying black crumbs on the table top.

"Yummy!" Barrel said enthusiastically, grabbing three pieces and munching on them all at the same time.

I, on the other hand, gave a rather disgusted look, and made myself a bowl of cereal. Moments after I began eating, Shock appeared in the kitchen doorway.

"Morning everyone." she smiled at us all in turn, her gaze resting longest on Lock.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked her in a husky morning voice.

"Good actually. I had this weird dream about these goblins that-" her sentence cut off and an odd look crossed her face.

"Goblins that what?" Barrel asked.

Shock opened her mouth to say something, but no sound came out. Her face turned suddenly very pale, and she dashed off in the opposite direction.

"Shock!" Lock called, springing up from the table and chasing after the direction she'd gone. I shared an odd look with Barrel, before padding after my two friends.

I heard noises from the bathroom, and headed into it, my eyes greeted by an odd sight.

Shock was leaning over the toilet, retching violently, and Lock was holding back her long dark hair, looking down worridly on his girlfriend. When Shock finished puking, she leaned her back against the wall, her face pale and slightly sweaty.

"Oh gross." she panted. Lock looked at her, slightly frantic.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" he asked her.

"I..don't know." she answered, honestly confused.

"Morning sickness." I commented, staring straight at her. "Another symptom."

Shock's eyes widened, and she looked frightened.

Lock looked confused.

I nodded to Shock. "Want to take a walk in town?" I asked her.

She nodded slightly.

*AUTHORS NOTE: I actually did my research for this chapter, so technically yes, morning sicness, mood swings, food cravings,  
and abdominal pains are all actual symptoms of pregnancy that can occur within the first 10 weeks. If you don't believe me, go ahead and look it up. Oh, and while you're down here...click that blue review button! hehe :)  
-AngelBones13


	14. Retake and Really Big News

If I didn't own any NBC characters before, what would make you think I own any now?

In case your not sure what to do after you read this...how about you try reviewing? It would make me happyyy

Author's note: All my reviewers, you guys are seriously the best people in the entire world (along with Tim Burton). I love you guys!  
Thank you! I've got a basic plan for the rest of this story, it will probably be over soon (boohoo), but I hope you enjoy chapter 14!

Chapter 14: Retake and Really Big News

Shocks P.O.V

Once Desdemona and I were safely up the hill, only then did I feel free to wail and cry.

"Oh m-my god!" I stuttered. "I can't possibly be pregnant."

"Actually, it's quite possible, seeing as you had unprotected sex and are now-"

"No," I cut off Desdemona before she could finish her sentence. "I mean I CAN'T BE PREGNANT! It will ruin my whole life!" I was on the verge of tears, and didn't attempt to hide it. Desdemona wrapped an arm around my shoulder.

"Shh, I know, I know. But you have me, and Lock. And probably Barrel. We will all be here for you." I knew she was trying to be helpful, but it sounded more pitiful then helpful.

"Whatever." I mumbled.

Desdemona guided me into town, straight to Sally's mothering shop. I groaned as I took in the store I thought I would never have to see again. Desdemona patted my shoulder encouragingly. I could tell she was waiting for me to go in first, but when I made no move to enter, she sighed and pushed open the door.

"Ladies first." she smiled. I planted my feet. Desdemona frowned and dragged me in.

"Hello girls, what brings you two back here?" Sally chimed curiously, closing the book in her hands and placing in under the counter.

"We need a pregnancy test." Desdemona said, straight foward. I gasped at her. Did she have no shame?

"What?" hissed Desdemona at me.

"You-you just don't ASK for one! What the hell are you thinking?" I blurted at her. Desdemona shrugged her shoulders.

"What was I supposed to do?"

"Stay quiet." I suggested. She shrugged again, and I sighed. Meanwhile, Sally had gone over to the all-too-familiar shelf and plucked three different pregnancy tests off of it. She headed back to us with a smile that poorly masked her concern.

"Here, I suggest at least trying two, just to be sure." Sally gave us the helpful tidbit of advice, then returned to her post at the counter.

"Thanks." called Desdemona over her shoulder, before turning her attention squarely back to me.

"Okay, which one do you want?" she asked me, professional-like.

"None. Let's go." I tried to turn to the door, even though I knew I wouldn't make it far.

I wonder how fast a runner Desdemona is. Hmm..

Sharp nails dug into my wrist, and I pulled my arm away. Desdemona glared at me. I glared back.

"Just pick one." she told me, exasperated.

"Sally said to pick two.'' I told her like a smart-ass, just to piss her off.

"Fine! Pick two!" Desdemona threw her hands up in the arm, and dropped them back to her sides with a slap.

"Just hurry up. Every second you wait, the baby grows."

I gulped. "You don't know that. You don't even know if i'm pregnant. Hell, I don't even know if i'm pregnant!"

"Yeah? Well you're about to find out." Desdemona told me, then snatched two random pregnancy tests and headed to the counter.  
I stood stone still, waiting. I heard the fake cheeriness of Sally's voice, and Desdemona's quiet replies. I did my best to ignore them.  
I didn't want to know what they had to say about me.

"Do you have a bathroom in this place?" Desdemona asked Sally, who had re-opened her book.

"Yes. Just through that door." Sally nodded to a white wooden door.

"Thanks." Desdemona breezed, then grabbed my wrist and began pulling me in the direction of my doom. I could have resisted, but instead let her drag me, like a zombie, lifeless and empty. I shut of my senses, feeling only one: pure terror. Desdemona's voice was far away as she led me into the bathroom and locked the door. I stared at the plain gray walls, not listening to Desdemona as she read the instructions off each box. Finally, when she realized I wasn't paying attention, she slapped me.

It wasn't hard or mean, just the kind of slap you'd give yourself to wake up. It stunned me, however, and I blinked rapidly before fully coming back to reality.

"Better?" Desdemona asked after a few seconds, gazing hard at me.

"Yeah. Thanks." I said softly. Her face turned gentle.

"Here. You should probably do these." she handed me the pregnancy tests. I couldn't speak, so I nodded and followed the directions on the boxes.

"Now what?" Desdemona asked once I had taken both tests.

"Now...we wait." I told her. She began pacing the bathroom, but I stood completely still, counting the seconds under my breath.  
When 3 minutes were up, I closed my eyes.

This was it.

Here goes. Again.

On the count of three, I will come face to face with my doom.

One. Two. Three.

I opened my eyes and stared at the tests on the sink. It took a moment to register.

"Desdemona!" I said. She was at my side in an instant, staring at the tests with me, as if she couldn't believe it either.

"Oh my god." she whispered.

"Ah, shit." I mumbled.

I was pregnant.

"How can that be true?" I wailed, fighting the sudden storm of tears.

"I took three tests before and they were all negative!"

"You probably took them too early." suggested Desdemona. Her voice was shaky too.

"Aw, Shock, i'm so sorry!" she wailed, then threw her arms around me. I hugged her back, tentatively, feeling desperately hopeless.

"What do I do now?" I whispered.

"Tell Lock." Desdemona stated.

"No!" I screeched.

"You have to. He IS the father." she pointed out.

"I know, I know. But...he'll be so disappointed! We don't want a kid! Why does this happen to me?" I sunk to the ground, my head in my hands and my shoulders shaking under the weight of the truth and the sobs that racked my body. Desdemona knelt next to me,  
putting an arm around me and laying her cheek on my head.

"It'll be okay." she cooed. "We'll find a way to make it okay."

Once my breathing was under control, I stood up, still encased in Desdemona's arms. We dragged our feet out of the bathroom,  
past a worried Sally, and out the door. We dragged ourselves all the way to the treehouse home, which would now hold not four, but five. And to think, three weeks ago, it only held three. My shoulders shook as I pressed my lips together to keep in the sobs.

Desdemona led me into the bird cage elevator, and pulled the rope. We ascended into the treehouse, coming face to face with two worried boys. Desdemona pushed past them and stepped out of the cage. No one said a word for a moment, and then Lock gasped.

"Shock? Shock! What's wrong? Are you okay?" He took me from Desdemona, holding me by the shoulders and trying to stare into my eyes. I couldn't meet his gaze.

"Babe, what is it? What's wrong? Please tell me!"

I shook my head, biting my lip as I felt the tears splatter my cheeks.

"Lock." I whispered, my voice cracking.

"What? What?" he asked. It was clear that he was worried, but I didn't know how to soothe him. I was worried too, as well as scared beyond belief. I was 14! How could I be pregnant?

I was such a slut.

I shook my head, finally returning Lock's gaze. I had to be strong. For him. For the baby.

"Lock." I said again, my voice more stable. He nodded. I took his hand and led him to the couch.

"You know how I took those three pregnancy tests a few weeks ago?" I asked. I heard Barrel gasp.

Shit, Barrel hadn't known. Oh well, he would've found out anyways, considering the circumstances.

"Well, they were...they were..." I couldn't finish my sentence, my voice too overwhelmed with tears.

I could tell he already knew what I was trying to say.

"Wrong." he finished for me. I nodded.

''And I took two new ones." I said around the lump in my throat.

"And they came up positive." I began crying again, afraid to look at his expression. Would he be disgusted with me? Outraged? Annoyed?

Instead, he pulled me into his arms, tightly encircling me in an iron embrace.

"Shock." he whispered, ksising my hair.

"It's okay. I won't leave you. We'll do this together. I promise, I won't ever leave you. I love you."

It was funny (in some twisted way) that he knew exactly what I needed to hear, and said it. I hugged him back, hiding my face and my shame in his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." I said to him.

"Don't be." he told me. I smiled through my tears.

Barrel's P.O.V

Okay, what the fuck?

Here, all this time, i've been in the dark about so much! Shock and Lock DIDN'T use a condom! Shock took three pregnancy tests and got negative results, but took two new ones and got positive! Shock is pregnant!

SHOCK IS PREGNANT!

I wanted to die, it was so weird. I didn't know which emotion was the strongest.

My worry for her, because she was best best friend.

My surprise that she was pregnant.

My anger at her, and Lock, for having sex without using a fucking condom.

Or my anger that because of their careless mistakes, my entire life was going to be whisked out from under us.

OUR entire life, gone. No more fights, candy wars, pranks. No more fun. Everything was going to be "baby this" or "baby that."  
I could see it now. And I hated it.

Desdemona wrapped her arm through mine, waking me from the horrible realization i'd been having.

"This sucks." I whispered to her. She nodded against my neck.

"I feel so bad, this has gotta be so hard on them.''

I was about to point out that it would be hard on all of us, but decided against it. What was the point?

Suddenly, I couldn't even feel my lips. They were numb.

"I'm going to go take a nap." I managed to say. They all looked at me.

"This is so much to take in, I just need my brain to get some rest." I yawned for effect. Lock nodded, almost sympathetic.

Shock looked devastated. I did my best not to glare at her.

"Night for now." I said, un-hooking my arm from Desdemona's and heading robotically to my room. I shut the door, then locked it just in case.

I laid down on my bed, not being able to do much more. I didn't close my eyes, I didn't blink. Despair washed through my body.

Our entire (after)life, over.

All our fun, gone.

Everything changed by one simple mistake.

Nothing would ever be the same.

I knew it was selfish, but I felt sorry for myself.

Just because they messed up, why should I have to suffer too?

I curled into a ball.

They better name the baby Barrel Jr.

Locks P.O.V

That night, I couldn't sleep. Too many thoughts were buzzing in my head, like a swarm of angry bees.

Shock's pregnant. She's going to have a baby. And i'm the father. Why didn't we use a condom? What were we thinking? That's the thing, I thought. We weren't. We weren't thinking and now look what we got ourselves into. We did a foolish act and now we have to suffer the consequences. Shock's pregnant. And i'm the father.

I gripped my horns as if to pull them out of my head. I wanted to scream, punch, kick anything and everything. This wasn't fair.

A single tear slipped down my cheek.

I grabbed the first thing I saw and threw it at the wall. I didn't bother to look at what I had thrown, I was too busy picking up another object and throwing it. And another. And another.

When a small pile of shit collected against my wall, I sighed. My arm felt to heavy to lift. I put my head in my hands, my fingers tangling in my fiery hair.

What was I going to do?

I realized then that if this was hard for me, it must be 10 times harder for Shock. She was the one carrying the..thing, after all.

Silently, I opened my door a crack and squeezed out. I stood silent in the hall for a moment, then headed to Shock's room. I entered,  
quickly closing the door behind me. Once my eyes adjusted to the darkness of her room, I saw a strange sight that instantly pained my heart. Shock was curled into a ball, her head turned into the pillow. Her shoulders were shaking, and despite the pillow covering her face, I could make out her sniffling.

She was crying.

I tip-toed over to her bed, and laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned her face up to me.

"Oh, Lock. Hey." she mumbled, wiping her tears away on the back of her hand.

"Hey." I whispered. "Can I come in?" I looked at her bed, then back at her.

"Oh, s-sure. Yeah, get in." She rolled over to make room for me, and I scooted in next to her, turning on my side to face her. She looked at me, and I looked at her, and for one impossibly long moment, I felt as though this was a dream. And then she spoke, and the sillence shattered.

"I'm sorry I did this to you." she said.

How could she be sorry? It was MY mistake.

"No, don't say that. It isn't your fault. Remember how you said it was our fault?"

She nodded.

"Good, 'cause you were right. But it's okay," I said to her. "We have alot of options."

She looked confused. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well," I started. "Like, for one, we could put it up for adoption." I suggested. Her eyes narrowed.

"Or you could get an abortion."

A pale hand darted out and smacked my cheek.

"Ow, hey!" I protested. She was glaring hard, but her voice was shaky.

"I can't believe you!" she hissed.

"What?" I asked her.

"How could you say that? I would never kill our baby! It's a part of me, a part of YOU! How could you want to kill it?"

I stared.

"I.." I started, but didn't finish.

"We're keeping the baby!" she said sternly. My eyes widened.

"I'm it's parent too! What if I don't want to keep it?" I challenged.

"Then obviously you're not a good enough parent, so then you have no say." her glare dared me to mess with her.

I opened my mouth to say something ass-hole-like, but closed it. We shouldn't be fighting. After all, she was the one who had to give birth to it, so she probably had more say in the whole matter.

Meanwhile, she was still glaring. She rolled over so her back faced me.

"Goodnight." she said, anger still apparent in her voice.

"Shock." I whispered. She didn't answer. "Shock, you're right, i'm sorry. We can keep the baby. I guess I don't want to see the little guy get given away or killed. I just...this is so hard. For us both. I don't know...what's right."

I waited for her response, and after a few moments she turned over to look at me. Her face was gentle, her eyes shiny. She reached out a hand and cupped my face.

"It's okay. I know, i'm sorry too. Let's get some sleep."

I nodded and closed my eyes. She curled into my arms, and we were both consumed with sleep, delivered from the harshness of our world to the soft velvet of dreams.


	15. A Call

If you don't know that I don't own any NBC characters, then you're stupid.

Anyone in the mood to review?

Author's note: Well, once again, thank you everyone! I love the reviews you guys give me, they make me feel happy. I also love the constructive cristism..thanks! As you know by now, this story will be ending soon. I've got a pretty good idea on how it's going to end, but i'm not sure how many chapters it'll take, so bear with me! Hope you enjoy chapter 15 eveyone ^_^

P.S- sorry I haven't updated in so long, been soo busy with school and volleyball (my team got second place in our tournament, hoorah!)

Chapter 15: A Call

Shocks P.O.V

I awoke to a gray light filtering pleasantly through my window. I yawned and stretched, then observed the peaceful scene around me.  
Soft light cast an iluminated square on the floor in front of my window, Lock breathing quietly beside me, his back facing me.

Wonder what pranks we can pull today? I asked myself in my mind. I realized that we hadn't pulled any pranks in quite a few days,  
which had me surprised. Usually we never went to bed without pulling at least one prank. It was odd, and I felt like we should catch up on our routine.

I remembered then why our routine had been wacked up in the first place: I was pregnant.

I still couldn't think the words without hyperventilating.

Doing my best to calm down, I mentally changed the plans no one had made yet.

So much for pranking anyone. If I was pregnant, I had to see a doctor. To see a doctor, I had to ask Sally where to go. I gulped. I was afraid of what Sally would say. I was sure she already knew I was pregnant, but, knowing Sally, she probably would still have a tiny shred of hope that I wasn't. I feared telling Sally like a normal child feared telling thier parents they were the one that drew on the wall. Except, where normal parents would punish and ground the kid, Sally would sigh and make her disappointment obvious. Somehow, disappointment was harder to deal with then anger.

Lock rolled over then, snapping me out of my thoughts and back to the present. He stretched, a small hum escaping between his closed lips. His tail smacked my thigh, and his eyes opened half way. I smiled pleasantly.

"Good morning, Sleeping Beauty." I joked, kissing him on the forehead. He gave a lopsided grin.

"Morning Prince Charming." he responded.

I raised an eyebrow at him, then crawled over him and off the bed. He rolled over so he could look at me.

"What are we doing today?" Lock asked me. I was usually the one that came up with the plans, Lock and Barrel (and now Desdemona too) just confirmed them.

"I was thinking...we could go to Sally."

"Why?" he yawned again, half covering it with his palm.

"Because she could probably point us to a doctor." I told him casually.

"Doctor? Why would we need a doctor?" he looked confused, and rubbed his eyes.  
I made a gesture to my stomach, then shrugged my shoulders. "You know."

"Oh. OH. Ah." Lock's eyes opened all the way, and he nodded. He knew.

"So no pranks?" he asked, somewhat disappointed. I felt a surge of sadness radiate through my body. I wished. I wished we could go back to the way things were, so I wouldn't be pregnant. I didn't want to be. But at the same time I knew I wouldn't except either of the offers Lock had made last night. Killing my baby, OUR baby, just wasn't right. And going through nine months of pain, just to give him or her away? Not likely.

I pressed my lips together and shook my head. I thought he was going to protest (protest=complain=whine), but he only opened his mouth, then closed it before nodding vigorously.

"Okay, we can get dressed and head to Sally's." he pushed himself off the bed and started towards my door.

I turned around, waiting until I heard the creak of the door before beginning to undress. I dug through my drawers in a bra and matching lace panties, looking for the right dress to wear. I pulled a random article of clothing out and held it up to observe in better light.

Behind me, I heard a wolf-whistle. Clutching the piece of clothing to my chest, I spun around slowly, and saw Lock, standing by my door and grinning like mad. My cheeks blushed bright red, and I whipped the dress at him.

"Stupid pervert!" I called at him. He was shaking with laughter, and I felt my own lips turn into a smile. It's not like he'd never seen more of me.

"Get out of here! OUT!" I stomped my foot, doing my best glare. He didn't reply, only turned and left, still chuckling to himself.

"God." I muttered once he was out of the room.

5 minutes later, I approached the kitchen wearing a short lavender dress, black tights, and black leather boots with tiny heels. Barrel glanced at me and grinned. He was holding a fork in one hand and a knife in the other.

"Hey Shock! Moannie's making breakfast, want some?"

Before I could reply, Desdemona had smacked Barrel on the head with a frying pan.

"Don't call me that in public!" she insisted, turning back to her cooking. Barrel barely seemed fased by the hit, but glared at Desdemona anyways.

"What was that for, Moannie?" he asked, slight hurt in his voice. She whipped around again, lifting the pan above her head and bringing it down on Barrels'.

I had taught that girl well.

"DO NOT call me that." she told him. Barrel glared at her, although I could still see the admiration behind it. He turned back to me, a sly grin on his face.

"Like I was saying, MOANNIE is making breakfast, and since MOANNIE is such a good cook, I was wondering if you wanted MOANNIE to make you something too? I'm sure MOANNIE would love to cook you some breakfast, isn't that right, MOANNIE?"

He turned to Desdemona, who had switched her frying pan for 2 heavy pots with handles. She glared menacingly at him.

"Say that one more time." she dared him.

"Say what, Moannie?" he asked, grinning. Desdemona gave something only described as a growl, and charged Barrel. Barrel pushed off from his chair, overturning it in his haste to get away. They ran through the house, Barrel yelling "moannie moannie moannie" at the top of his lungs, and Desdemona smashing her pots against eachother, and everything for that matter, swiping dangerously close to Barrel, but never quite touching her target.

I sighed and replaced Desdemona as cook.

I was just slipping the food onto a large plate when Lock entered the kitchen. He was wearing gray skinny jeans and a red shirt, with red sneakers.

"Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yup." I nodded, then turned off the oven. I didn't bother to tell Barrel and Desdemona breakfast was ready, I was sure they'd figure it out eventually.

I slipped my mask on and Lock did the same. We headed, hand in hand, to the elevator, stepping over the gasping bodies of our two roomates.

"Bye." I said cheerily.

"Don't leave me alone with herrrrr!" Barrel called as the elevator descended. Desdemona gave a dark chuckle.

"You're mine now, no one can save you!" she shrieked, sounding slightly possesed.

I opened the cage door and stepped out across the bridge, and Lock and I began up the worn in path on the hill.

"So.." Lock said, after a few moments of awkward silence.

"So.." I mimicked.

"What are you going to tell Sally?" he asked curiously.

"I'm going to tell her i'm pregnant and ask her what to do." I told him, with more confidence in my voice then I felt.

Lock nodded.

"Are you scared?" he asked me.

"Yes." I said, a little too quietly.

"About alot of things.'' I added, even though his question hadn't required it.

"Like?" he prompted.

"Like being pregnant, for one. Like telling Sally, I can't imagine what she'll say. Like not knowing what to do, or how this turned out this way. Like not understanding why this happened to us. Like not being able to be the mother this child will need. Like already feeling connected to it, in a way I can't describe."

Lock took all this in, speculating what I meant. When I finished, he didn't take long to reply.

"I'm scared too." he mumbled. I squeezed his hand.

"We can be scared together." I told him, smiling. He chuckled, and began humming under his breath.

I recognized the tune after a moment, and my grin widened. It was the tune to the song we'd sung while preparing to kidnap that weird goon Sandy Claws. He kept humming the beginning part, but when I joined in, he hummed the whole song. Our humming increased in volume, and by the time we made it to town, we were humming it as loudly as possible, our bodies swaying in time with one another, giggles escaping every now and then.

It felt right to be like this. Normal, almost. As normal as one of us can get in Halloween Town.

By the time we made it to Jack's manor, we had hummed the song 2 times and were half way through a third. I absently pulled the doorbell, which looked like a cross between a spider and a rat hung on a chain, and an echoing scream rang out around us. It surprised me, and I jumped backwards, nearly toppling down all the wooden stairs.

Luckily, Lock caught my arm.

"Holy shit!" I exclaimed as the scream ended. Then we looked at eachother. Then, we laughed.

Jack opened the door to the two of us doubled over, tears practically streaming down our eyes, our breaths loud and gaspy. Jack appraised us for a moment, then smiled.

"Hello Lock, Shock. What brings you two here?" he asked in his formal way.

I held a finger up to signal him to wait a moment. I could barely breathe, let alone talk. Once i'd straigtened up and wiped the tears away, and my breaths were somewhat more even, I answered Jack's question.

"We'd like to talk to Sally." I told him, matter-of-factly. He only nodded, then stepped aside, sweeping his hand in a gesture that said "come in." I barged in the door, followed by Lock. Throughout are years here in Halloween Town, we never learned any proper manners.

What was the fun in manners anyways?

"Where is she?" I asked, a bit hurridly. The laughing high had worn off, and a sort of nervousness had begun to replace it.

"Up in the study, care for an escort there?" Jack asked.

"Nope. Thanks Jack." I said, then turned to the direction of the stairs. We passed through some finely decorated rooms, one with a crackling fireplace, another with a tv that worked. Sitting in front of that tv, somewhat mesmerized, was a girl who looked about the age of three, with blue-tinged skin and inky hair. Behind her, lounging on a expensive looking sofa, was a girl with dark blonde hair, about our age, wearing a orange dress with a pink pumpking sewn on it. She looked innocent and stupid, but seeing as she was reading a thick book, she obviously couldn't be that dumb.

I got a feeling she was more book smart than life smart.

We passed without the princesses noticing us, and began our way up the stairs to the study. The stairway was tight, if I stretched my hand out on either side of me, I could touch the stone walls. It curved a bit, making me feel slightly claustraphobic. Was there no end?

I rounded a curve and smacked into a tall boy, probably 15. He looked startled, and blinked.

"Excuse me-oh." he quickly amended his politeness when he saw it was me and Lock.

"What are you two here for?" he sneered. I hated him instantly.

"We want to talk to Sally." I siad, lifting my chin.

"About what?" he challenged. Something told me he wanted the answer I was going to give him, so I lied.

"Not sure, she sent for us. Something top secret." I shrugged like it was no big deal, but my nails were biting into my palm, and my hands were clenched into white-knuckled fists.

"Yeah, right. Whatever, pregnant scum." he pushed past me then, lightly skipping down the stairs. I gritted my teeth.

"A piece of advice!" he called from somewhere down the stairs. "Next time, wear a condom! Filth."

"That does it!" I shrieked, charging full speed down the stairs. Before i'g gotten far, Lock grabbed the tops of my shoulders, holding me firmly in place despite my squirming.

"You heard him, let me go! I'll kill him." I was glaring at the stairs, angry as hell. No one talked to me like that.

Lock just shook his head. "It makes me mad too. Really mad." he stopped for a moment, gritted his teeth, and continued.

"But we're not here to beat up Sally's kid." he reminded me. I sighed and dropped my head.

"I know." I muttered, then led the way up to the study.

We approached the large warped wooden doors quietly, both looking afriad to enter. Then I lifted a hand and rapped loudly three times on the door.

"Come in." a gentle voice called from somewhere inside. I pushed open the door, and stepped into the magnificent study.

I know I hated books, but this room was utterly spectacular nonetheless.

Large red cushioned chairs were placed by a fire place, burning in full blaze. Two large windows over-looking Halloween Town were on either side of the fire place. Book shelves towering to the ceiling were placed against opposite walls, filled to the brim with thick and thin books alike, all wearing a important-looking coat of dust. On the wall with the two doors Lock and I stood in, paintings of pumpkins, Halloween Town, Jack, Sally, ghouls, and anything remotely halloween-ish were stratigically placed.

Sally sat in one of the red chairs, leaned over a thick book. She marked her page before looking up, her eyes widening a bit as she saw who it was.

"Lock, Shock. Do come in, take a seat dears." She motioned to the other red chairs, and Lock raced to the one closest to the fire and sank down. I took my time, and sat in the one closest to Sally. I crossed my legs, then uncrossed them, nervously.

"What brings you two here?" she asked in a maternal way.

"Uhm, well.." I started, then stopped. She waited patiently, expactantly.

"If you haven't already guessed, i'm kind of...pregnant." I gulped, then continued.

"I was wondering what one does when one is...what I am." I finished, hoping she understood my convoluted sentence. Sally nodded.

"I'm grateful to hear you're having a baby, they are wonderful. But it also troubles me, i'm sure at just 14 you can't possibly want a child."

I nodded in agreement. "Yes, I know. Help us." I said the last part in a whisper, barely audible, though she still seemed to hear.

"Well, I can recommend you the doctor I went to for my three pregnancies, she's fantastic. Here, let me just give you here name and office number, i'm sure you can set up some kind of appointment."

"That'd be great." I said gratefully. I was pleased Sally wasn't freaking out, simply helping us like I hoped she would. Sally knew just what children needed. She scribbled down a name and number in neat scrawl, then handed it to me. I read it to myself.

Doctor Patricia Lank. Gorgan. Specalizes in babies. Number: 555-1173.

"Thank you." I murmurmed.

''You're welcome. Usually, people don't see a doctor until they are 8 to 10 weeks pregnant, but I suggest you call soon and set a date early, she's very busy."

I nodded, not sure what to say.

"Shock, Lock, i'm so sorry this has happened to you. But I know that you two are strong, you'll get through this. I believe in you."

I nodded again.

"Well, if that's all you need, I suppose you should be getting back to Barrel. And Desdemona, of course."

"Okay, yeah." Lock said. I headed quietly to the door. Lock went out before me, and just before I closed the door to the study, I whispered "Thank you, Sally."

I was sure she heard, because her lips turned up into a wide smile.

I closed the door gently behind me and headed home.

Later that night, I snuck the old house phone we seldom used into my room. I clutched the piece of paper tightly in my fist, and my other hand shakily dialed the number Sally and written. I knew it was late, they might already be closed for the day. I hoped they were.

But no, after 5 rings, a tired but cheery voice answered.

"Hello, Doctor P. Lank's office, how can we help you?"

"Uhm.." I mumbled, then cleared my throat.

"I'd like to make an appointment, but I..I don't know when." I stammered. I knew I sounded stupid and unprofessional, but I didn't care.

"Okay, ma'am, how long have you been pregnant?" the receptionist asked. Even at the word "pregnant" my eyes filled with tears.

"I dunno, like, two weeks maybe?" I did my best to keep the tears out of my voice.

"Okay, well i'll see if we can fit you in sometime in mid-december, how's that sound?"

"Uhm...good." I managed to answer.

"Alright. We have an opening December 15, is that okay for you?"

"Yeah, yes, sure." I replied, trying to sound confident but falling to pieces.

"Okay, and your name?" the lady asked.

"M-my name?" I stammered.

"Yes, we need it to fill in you're scheduled appointment." the lady confirmed, sounding slightly annoyed.

"Uhm...Shock. It's Shock." I told her. I hoped she didn't know me, although in a town this small, she was bound to. And it's not like she wouldn't meet me at my appointment.

"Okay, well Ms. Shock, your appointment is set, we will call a few days before to confirm. Sound good?"

"Yes, thank you." I answered quickly.

"Okay, have a nice night-"

"You too." I cut her off, then hung up the phone as quickly as I could. I shook my head to clear the annoying thoughts that had sub-  
merged inside it. Uhg, what I could really use is a good night's rest.

Shivering, I slipped into pajamas and crawled into bed. I was unconcious before I could count to three.

Barrel P.O.V

Desdemona and I were at the climax of the scariest movie i'd probably ever seen. We were both sitting on the floor in front of the couch, holding hands. Every few seconds, she would yelp and bury her head in my shoulder, oblivious to the fact that her hair was so close I could smell her sweet scent. She smelled of fresh water, and rain. And peppermint. I inhaled deeply, trying to trap the scent in my nostrils. I wrapped my arm around her and turned my head in to hers.

"You scared?" I whispered. I could make her face out faintly in the light of the tv that shown in between the small fortress our bodies had made.

She nodded.

"I'll keep you safe.." I murmured, then leaned in. Simultaniously, our lips met. Alive with cold heated passion, they moved, danced, explored. Despite her cold lips, her tongue was warm, and I shivered as it slipped into my mouth. In the background, screaming could be heard faintly from the tv, but I barely paid it any attention, to wrapped up in our moment.

Every time I thought a moment with her couldn't get better, it did.

I secured my hand in her hair, and she cupped my face, gently stroking my cheek with her thumb.

"Mh." she moaned softly, as our kiss deepened. I closed my eyes and ran wild in her scent, her taste, her touch. Everything there was about her, I loved. I wanted her. I needed her.

Without conciously doing so, I pushed her back onto the floor, straddling over top of her. My kiss became more rough, demanding,  
asking a silent question. She responded for a moment, then hesitated.

She pulled back from my lips. "Barrel." she said, looking into my eyes.

I raised an eyebrow at her.

"Not tonight." she told me firmly, even though I saw a part of her in her eyes that wished for something different.

"Why not?" I whined like a toddler.

"Just not tonight." she repeated.

"You know you waaant toooo." I taunted her.

She smiled, but shook her head. "Of course. But we just can't. Not tonight, and certainly not in the middle of a nasty cold floor."

I laughed, and she beamed. "Okay, fine. There's always tomorrow night, and the next, and the next."

"And the next." she added. I smiled and nodded.

"Right. That one too."


	16. 6 More Weeks

None of the Nightmare Before Christmas characters are mine, which sucks for me.

Please review! xD

Author's note: Well, thank you reviewers! I love love love it when you review my story(s), so keep it up please! Sorry, it's been forever since I updated, but i've been having writers block. Uhg. Well, sorry this chapter sucks, it's kind of a link to get to the good stuff. Hope you enjoy...

Chapter 16: 6 More Weeks

Locks P.O.V

I awoke the next morning to the sun shining too brightly on my face. I squinted and blinked until my eyes adjusted to the sudden light, then pushed myself somewhat numbly out of bed. I slipped on a plain red shirt and headed to the kitchen. I found Shock occupying one of the chairs at the table, bent over and devouring a bowl of gumdrops.

"Hungry much?" I teased her. She chucked a gumdrop at my head.

"Where are Barrel and Desdemona?" I asked curiously, digging through the fridge, hoping to find a not sour carton of milk. I pulled one out and inspected the expiration date. October 3rd, yuck. I threw the carton over my shoulder and continued my search.

"In the living room, I think." she said around a gumdrop. I pulled out another carton. I peeked inside to see a lumpy hard white mush.

Nasty.

I made a scoffing noise. "Isn't there any milk in this house that hasn't gone bad?"

"Doubt it." Shock said. "Want a gumdrop?"

"No. Thanks." I said, then gritted my teeth. What was I going to eat now?

"They're deliciooousss." she sang, and I turned to give her a curious look. She was smiling awkwardly, extending a purple gumdrop towards me.

"No. I'm good." I told her again. She pouted.

"I don't see what's so wrong with gumdrops." she stuffed 5 into her mouth at once. I stared at her, one eyebrow arched.

"Sorry." she blushed. "I'm kinda moody." And with that, she pulled down the brim of her hat and retreated from the kitchen with her trusty bowl of gumdrops. I shook my head and pulled out a slice of stale, cold pizza.

It was better then nothing.

I took a bite.

Nevermind.

Ignoring the taste, I shoved the pizza into my mouth and headed to Shock's room.

"Shock?" I knocked three times, then opened the door without bothering to wait for her response.

"What?" she asked from her position on the floor.

"Did you, uh, make...an appointment?"

She made a face and nodded. "Yeah. December 15, I think."

"That's only a couple weeks away.."

"What's your point?" she challenged. I shrugged, not really having one. I took a seat next to her.

"What are they going to do?" I asked her.

"How should I know?" she answered my question with her own. I shrugged.

"I have no clue. I just thought..."

Shock shrugged, knowing how I was going to finish my sentence. "News flash: i've never been pregnant before. I don't know how it works, and no way am I going to Sally's baby store to buy a book on that shit. I'm sure i'll figure it out."

I didn't bother argueing with her.

"Yeah. You're right, I guess." I replied feebly. We sat in silence for a few moments. Then Shock asked, her voice quivering slightly,

"What should I do?"

"What do you mean?" I asked her, startled.

"I mean," she huffed, "how should I know what's going to happen? What if I get super moody and weird and puke every morning?"

She studied the empty bowl of gumdrops with intensity. I shrugged, not sure what to say to comfort her.

"We'll take this one day at a time. It'll be okay. We're now and forever, I promise." I wrapped an arm around her neck, catching a loose strand of hair and rubbing it between my fingers.

She turned and smiled at me. "Lock. I love you." I smiled wider than Barrel, and planted a quick kiss on her lips.

"Tell me something I don't know." I joked. She smiled, but raised her eyebrows.

"How 'bout this? You're possibly the most annoying guy i've ever met, and will ever meet. Ever."

"No, I knew that too." I replied slyly. She thwacked the back of my head with her palm.

"Ow, hey! Moody much?" I tugged away from her before she could deliver another hit. She smiled and opened her mouth to reply,  
but another, louder, gruffer voice took the place of hers.

"GUYS! WHERE THE FUCK IS BREAKFAST?"

Oh, Barrel.

"TRY MAKING IT FOR YOURSELF SOMETIME, IDIOT BAG!'' I called back at him. I shook my head and chuckled.

"He's so stupid."

"Agreed." Shock pushed herself up of the floor and extended a hand to me. I grabbed it and was dragged off my feet as she yanked my body upright. Damn she was strong.

She giggled as I regained my balance, and encircled her in a warm embrace. I leaned in to kiss her, but the silence was shattered again by Barrel's obnoxious yelling.

"THERE'S NO GODDAMNED MILK!"

I sighed.

"Come on, we'd better go help Barrel get breakfast." she unwound herself from my arms, much to my displeasure.

"Yeah," I agreed sarcastically. "Afterwards we can help him take a bath and teach him his ABCs."

Shock chuckled, and led the way to the kitchen, where Barrel sat scowling, as Desdemona munched on a bowl of dry cereal.

Shock wrinkled her nose. "Ew, that smells." I inhaled deeply, but all I smelt was the slightly fruity yet chocolatey scent of whatever cereal they were eating. I dug my hand into the box and retrieved a handful of rainbow colored puffs. I stuffed them into my mouth,  
not bothering to care as stray ones beelined for the floor.

I casually took place in the third chair at the table, then asked in a tone filled with mishief: "What are we going to do today?"

"PRANKS!" three voices cheered at once. Perfect.

"Then let's get going!" I told them enthusiastically.

They all sprang up and to their rooms, darting at top speeds. I headed to my room and slipped on a red, longsleeved shirt, pushing the sleeves up to my elbows, and dark red skinny jeans. I slipped on black sneakers, which completed my costume. I quickly combed through my slightly mop-ish hair (I really ought to get it cut soon) and polished my horns and tail. I slipped on my mask, ajusted it until it was perfect, and surveyed myself once in the bathroom mirror before heading to wait in the living room.

The next to appear was Barrel, wearing a black shirt with a sewn on pattern on bones, and mathcing black pants. Silver chains hung from the pockets. I assumed he was grinning, but with his smiley skeleton mask on, it was hard to tell. Barrel was closely followed by Desdemona, who wore a white tattered mini skirt, a tight white, longsleeved v-neck shirt,  
and gray knee-high boots. Her makeup was pretty much white and gray: gray eyeshadow, white eyeliner that made her eyes look bigger then normal. The only dash of color on her face (besides her slightly rosy cheeks) was the ice blue lipstick she had put on.

She looked just like a ghost, which, I think, was what she'd been aimimg for.

Shock appeared last, in a short purple dress that laced up the back like a corset. Her black ankle boots and purple witch hat, which was pulled over her eyes at a mysterious angle, completed her sexy look. She had thick black mascara, black eyeliner, and purple eyeshadow on, as well as dark purple lipstick. I only viewed this for a second, however, because she slipped on her frowning witch mask.

"Are we ready?" I asked around my devil mask. The other three nodded.

Wordlessly, we all headed up the worn path in the gray grassed hill into Halloween Town. Once through the gates, Shock broke into excited chatter.

"Who are we going to prank first?" she asked, practically bouncing in excitement.

"Whoever you want!" I told her, smiling.

"How about The Mayor?" Desdemona suggested.

"How about that nasty skeleton kid?" Barrel offered, making a face just at his mention.

"Nah, I think he'd be expecting us." Desdemona said quietly.

"I don't. That kid is stupid." Shock growled.

"I agree with Desdemona." I said. "Let's prank the mayor. It'll be easy, 'cause all we have to do is stand there, and he'll run away screaming."

"Yeah, but what's the fun in that?" Barrel countered. Despite his protest, we all set out in search of the mayor.

We found him scuttling about Town Square, setting already straight things straighter, which really made them kind of crooked, and shufflingthe stack of papers in his hands. He layed down his parchments to pour some green gook into the fountian. I saw the oppurtunity and leapt.

"Quick! Take his papers!" I whispered to my comrades. In seconds Shock and Desdemona had dashed to the fountain and back,  
each carrying a pile of papers.

"Shuffle them!" whispered Barrel. The girls nodded quickly and began mixing the papers up, making the tidy order a jumbled mess.

The mayor turned around, his smiling face on, pleased with whatever work he had done. He bent down to pick up his papers, and his face turned to his pale scared one when he saw they were missing. He looked about nervously, lifted a hand to his mouth, then down again, stuck a finger in his mouth and tested the wind. Then he began muttering.

"Lock? Shock? Barrel?" he called, quietly and nervously. It was obvious he was hoping he had drawn a wrong conclusion. Shock,  
Barrel and I began giggling maniacally, which frightened the mayor so much he gave a startled jump.

"Where are you three?" he barked.

All four of us appeared from the shadows, smiling evilly.

"Make that four." Barrel corrected the mayor, much to his dismay.

"Oh, Desdemona, hi." the mayor gulped. "Please tell me you do not interact with such foolishness."

Desdemona shrugged. "It is what it is."

"Hmph." the mayor grumbled.

"Where are my papers, you four?" he growled, trying to sound menacing but instead sounding like a scared kitten.

"Oh, you mean those papers?" I asked, taunting, and pointed a finger to the papers that were blowing in the wind.

"YES! OH NO!" yelled the mayor, scuttling after his papers. We all broke into a fit of laughter. Shock, still laughing, reached under her dress. This shut us all up.

"Ow." she muttered under her breath.

"Uhh..Shock?" I asked.

She didn't answer, instead lifted removed her hand, appearing with three scorpians.

"How the hell.." muttered Barrel. Shock shrugged. She then set them down. They already seemed to know their mission, and at once headed towards the mayor, jumping onto his back and crawling all over him. The mayor dropped the papers he had collected and began screaming.

We all broke out laughing again.

However, with the mayor's obnoxious screams, it didn't take long for Jack to show up. He sprinted into Town Square, surveyed the scene before him: us laughing with tears rolling down our faces, the mayor screaming with three scorpians on his back and a bunch of scattered papers.

He jumped into action.

"Mayor, Mayor! Calm down, calm down!" He tried to grab and steady the squirming mayor, but he was beyond listening. Jack sighed, and gripped the mayor's thick shoulders with his bony fingers.

"Stay still." he told him again. The mayor nodded, hyperventilating.

It was hilarious.

Meanwhile, Jack had plucked the three scorpians off of the mayor, and tossed them carelessly in our direction.

"No!" shrieked Shock, dashing foward to catch her pets. She grabbed them just inches before they smacked into the ground. She stroked their backs for a minute, then took off her hat and dropped them inside. She tugged her hat back on her head.

Jack was now gathering the mayors papers, and handing them back to him.

"Oh, and they were all organized!" The mayor complained.

"You'll just have to repeat the task. I'm sorry mayor, farewell." Jack said, his voice tight. The mayor grunted, tossed us a menacing look, and retreated. Jack began striding towards us.

"I guess we'd better go.." I said, backing away from Jack's approaching figure.

"Oh no, you don't. Stay right there." he warned. We all froze. I peeked a look at the others. Barrel had his hands shoved in his pockets, Desdemona was twisting a loose strand of hair, and Shock was looking paler then usual.

"What you guys did was abominable!" Jack exclaimed, glaring at us. "Haven't you outgrown your old natures yet?"

"No, and I don't think we ever will." I grinned at Jack. He glared back, causing my grin to falter.

"For the sake of everyone in Halloween Town, I hope you will. I cannot believe- well actually I can believe it, for you three anyways."  
He glared at me, Shock, and Barrel.

"But you! Desdemona! I'm very disappointed in you. When you came here, I was excited. I thought 'Ah, a normal girl! One who can hopefully teach these nonsense children a lesson!' But no, you've become just like them, which disappoints me so."

I expected Desdemona to look ashamed, but when I stole a glance at her, her expresion surprised me. She looked...angry? There was a defiant set to her jaw, and her chin was lifted.

"You're the one who put me with them. You told me to make friends, so I did. And they are not nonsense kids. You want to see nonsense? Then turn to your spoiled brats of children. I am glad I am friends with these guys. And I did not disappoint you, YOU disappointed YOURSELF."

Desdemona finished her little speech, much to the surprise of Jack and the gaping mouths of us. Who knew Desdemona could say things like that? I had pictured her as sweet, the one who sat patiently while she was punished. Who knew she had a temper?

And then I remembered something Barrel had told me the first night she arrived. Her parents had beaten her. I realized that if her life had been the way Barrel had claimed, then she MUST have had a temper, or some means of a way to defend herself.

Jack glared at us all for a moment, then shook his head. "I think you should leave now."

"Gladly." Desdemona turned on her heel, not waiting for the rest of us. Barrel followed close behind, along with me and Shock.

Shock looked extremely pale, and I squeezed her hand. "You okay?" I whispered. She nodded.

"I feel kind of..funny. I think I should lay down." she whispered back.

"We'll be home in a few, then you can lay as long as you want." I told her. She managed a weak smile.

I was worried.

I was worried that she was going to get sick again, like she had before the other morning. I was worried something was wrong with her. I was worried about a whole mess of things, and suddenly I didn't feel so good either.

6 more weeks until her first checkup. I didn't want it to come. I didn't want this to be so real.


	17. Not What You'd Expect

Discalimer: I do not own any NBC characters. Whatever. Of course not. Do I look like Tim Burton to you?

Author's note: *drum roll* Tada! Chapter 17! Enjoy it, but don't cry! It's pretty sad D: Review please, like always :) I love to get them, you know you love to write them. Okay, without further interuption...go ahead. Read.

Chapter 17: Not What You'd Expect

Shocks P.O.V

In the weeks leading up to my appointment, I noticed several changes. Not big ones, and not all obvious, but changes none the less. For example: on top of being obsessed with gumdrops, I added chocolate bars into the mix. The combination of flavor was horrible, yet I couldn't stop eating them. I would have random mood swings, too. One day I would be peppy, another I would be dismal, and yet another I would be ready to bite some one's head off.

Lock seemed to understand the moods I was in, and did his best to do what I liked. Desdemona offered constant support, although she actually knew nothing about how to properly help me through all of this. And Barrel...well...was Barrel. Stupid. Dumb. Idiotic. Take your pic of words, they all describe him. When I was in the mood to be left alone, he would bother me. He would get randomly depressed, and other times he would purposely try to pick a fight with me.

I swear, maybe Barrel's the one who's pregnant.

The week before my appointment, I had morning sickness nearly everyday. Lock actually folded a blanket and set it in front of the toilet every night so my knees would be padded against the hard wood floor.

On the day of my appointment, I was nervous beyond belief. I felt nauseus, and anxious, and I couldn't sit still. I did random chores, cleaning everything and organizing it to perfection.

Maybe being pregnant gave me Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

"We should get going." Lock said from his lounge on the couch, where he had stayed all day, watching a horror-christmas marathon.

"Uhm y-yeah. Uh-huh. Yup." I agreed, nervousness rolling off my body in waves.

"Hey." Lock said, coming into the kitchen where I stood and wrapping an arm around me. "It's okay. It'll be okay. It's just a check-up, nobody's going to bite you.  
Nobody's going to die."

I nodded weakly.

"Come on." he said after a moment of silence. "We really should get going."

I slipped on an oversized sweatshirt and my witch hat, hoping they would be able to conceal me, although I highly doubted it.

Barrels P.O.V

I heard the elevator clang to the ground, and I knew Shock and Lock were gone. Desdemona lay, stretched on my bed, her eyes closed and her lips slightly parted.  
I was planting kisses on her neck. The entire day, we had stayed in my room, cuddling and kissing. In the last 15 minutes or so, things had started to get pretty heated.

"Desdemona." I whispered roughly into her neck.

"Mhh." she replied.

"They're gone."

She sat straight up, pushing me off her and looking sharply around.

"Really? I didn't hear them leave.."

"They did." I assured her. She only nodded. I knew she was waiting. Waiting for me to say something. Waiting for me to tell her my intentions. Waiting to give in to the temptation we made eachother feel.

"So.." I mumbled lamely. How do you ask your girlfriend to have sex with you?

"So, are we going to do this?" she asked, straight foward. I looked at her, surprised. Her blue gaze was even, and her face looked decided, only her trembling lip showed any sign of fear.

"Do what?" I asked her unsurely, even though I was ninety-nine percent sure I knew what she meant.

"THIS." she gestured to me, then her.

"Do you want to?" I asked her. She looked confused for a moment.

"I think so." she said, giving a lopsided grin. If she thought that was good enough for me, she was mistaken.

"You think so? How can you THINK so? You're either ready or you're not. It's your decision, I don't want to pressure you into anything. I just want you to WANT to." The last part came out choked up, and I swallowed around the lump in my throat.

I'd never cared about some one so much.

A part of my mind stabbed me with a thought. What about Shock and Lock? They've been your friends forever. You can't honestly care for some new girl you barely know more then the people you've known all your life. The only friends you ever had.

I pushed the thought away. I was certain I loved Desdemona. I loved Shock and Lock too, but that was different. Totally different.

"I want to." she whispered. I searched her face for uncertainty, but found none. I nodded, then began kissing her neck again. She tangled her fingers in my hair with a sigh, gradually leaning back onto the bed.

When she was completely flat, I moved my kisses to her mouth. It was soft at first, but as our tongues danced, their speed changed, like from a waltz to a tango.  
I new desire rushed through us, and my kiss developed a more rough tone. Hers responded eagerly, which turned me on.

She wrapped her arms around my neck, one hand curling into fists in the hair near my neck, the other eagerly running it's fingers through my hair. I moaned softly, and she gave a small sigh. I used one hand to stroke her cheek, the other arm encircling her waist and bringing her body closer to mine, so her back arched against my hand.

"Barrel." she whispered. I shivered.

"I love you." I spoke into her lips. She moaned softly, an answer to my statement, although it hadn't required one. She quickly untangled her hands from my hair, using both hands to then push me off of her. She panted slightly, then pushed me back so I stumbled to my feet. She was on her own feet ina second, her body close to mine, but not touching it.

She stripped off her shirt, and I tried (and utterly failed) not to stare at her breasts, hidden behind a thin layer of white lace. She was ripping my shirt off me in another second, her hand stroking my bare, muscled chest.

This was a fury I had never seen in Desdemona before, a passion, a lust. And I loved it.

I wrenched her body to mine, pressing my lips against hers, my chest against hers, my body against hers. I fumbled with the latch of her bra, but managed to get it off in no time. She let it slide to the floor. I lost my fingers in her long hair, lost my tongue in her warm mouth, lost myself in HER.

I wanted her.

"Have me." she whispered in my ear. I moaned and pushed her onto the bed, scrambling on top of her.

She was already fumbling with her pants, ripping them off her as though they were on fire, and casting them to the floor with a kick of her legs. I undid my own pants, letting them slide to the ground. I began kissing her once again, needing her in every way, shape, and form.

Her fingers taunted the edge of my waistband, playing with it. I slid her own panties off, while moving down to kiss her breasts. She moaned, a soft, harsh, pleasurable sound. She slipped off my boxers, and pulled the covers up over our naked forms.

Desdemonas P.O.V

When Barrel was inside me, it was hard to control myself. Everything; my movements, my feelings, my thoughts, the sounds I uttered.

He was so amazing.

I moaned loudly, repeating his name again and again.

I wondered briefly if this was how Shock felt. Did it feel better, since she didn't use a condom and I was? Would it feel the same? My thoughts only lingered on this topic for a second, because then Barrel sent a wave of pleasure through my entire body and I began moaning his name again.

Maybe i'd never stopped.

Shocks P.O.V

The wind was cold, really cold. It nipped at my skin and crystalized itself on my hair. Lock and I speed walked, hand in hand, towards the adress of the clinic where my appointment was to be held.

I"m not going to lie, I was petrified.

I was afriad of what they were going to tell me. I had absolutely no clue what kind of things happened on your first baby appointment checkup whatever. I didn't even have the slightest clue.

"Shock?" Lock whispered, squeezing my hand. I looked up at him. He looked so handsome, so strong. His eyes were soft and full of concern, but a small smile danced on his lips. His normally pale cheeks were flushed pink from the cold, and his breath came out in foggy shapes.

"Lock?" I whispered back, smiling. He grinned.

"You're okay, right?" he asked me. I shoved my shoulder into his, pressing my side against his. It amazed me that how, after all the crazy shit that was going on,  
I could still love him so much. I thought by now we would've fought over something, but he was always there, supporting and helping me, holding my hand and guiding me through the labyrinth of my life.

"Of course I am." I told him, but my voice cracked at the end, giving away how truly nervous I was.

Damn.

Lock gave me a curious look, then wrapped his arm around my shoulder. I wondered if he knew that he still gave me the shivers whenever he touched me. You'd think that after all we'd been through, I would at least be used to him. But no, every day he continued to amaze me more and more.

"We're here." He said, skidding to a halt on the gravel in front of a tiny building. A weathered sign reading "Gorgan Clinic for Babies" hung slightly slanted above a surprisingly clean (for Halloween Town) glass door.

I didn't say anything, just led the way into the clinic. I was greeted by a plain looking room; gray walls, gray chairs, gray and orangle flecked rug. A wooden table sat among the chairs, covered in old magazines and newspapers. A wicker basket filled with random toys was pushed in a corner. On the left side of the room was a long, gray counter, behind which sat a plump creature of a bland, greensih color with 8 tentacles. She had glasses that had slid to the tip of her nose, and was typing on a computer with two tentacles, sorting files with another four, and using two more to scribble down notes on a piece of paper. She didn't seem to notice us.  
I slipped out from under Lock's arm and took his hand, heading bravely to the counter.

"Uhm, hello." I said. The creature looked up at us, not pausing her work.

"Hi. What can I do for you two kids?" she asked in a nasal voice. It wasn't particularly mean, but I could tell from the way she said "kids" that she thought we were just a waste of time.

"We have an appointment for four-thirty, with Doctor Lank.'' Lock said. I was grateful for it, I didn't think I could find my voice at the moment.

"Okay, i'll let her know her four-thirty is here. Tell your mommy to wait just a minute." the lady smiled pleasantly, then turned back to her computer screen.

I made a disgusted noise in the back of my throat. "We're not here for our 'mommy.' This appointment is for US."

The creature (her name tag read Beatrice) stopped typing, turning a disbelieving gaze up at us. After staring for a moment, she nodded.

"I see. Well, i'll still let her know. Please take a seat and wait."

"Why don't you try and make me, scum brain?" Lock mumbled under his breath. I giggled. Lock led me to one of the nasty gray chairs, which I sat down in appreciativley. It'd been a long walk.

Lock picked up a random magazine and absently flipped through it, while I counted the ticks on the black and white, professional-looking clock hanging on the wall.

"Shock?" a soft voice called. I looked away from the clock, to see a middle-aged women with pale green skin (a little darker than my own) and long dark hair.

I stand, taking Lock's hand, and head towards her. At first, she looks surprised to see such young people, but she quickly composes herself into a pleasant smile.

"Don't look in her eyes, she'll turn you to stone!" Lock whisper-warned in my ear.

"On the contrary, that gene skipped me. My sister, Medusa, got it though. Ever heard of her?"

"I think so." I mumbled, unsure of how to respond. She leads us down a clean hallway, into a room with gray walls and white tile floor. There is a hospital bed with a mint green curtain drawn back, two gray chairs, identical to the ones in the waiting room, and a bunch of high tech gadgets, such as a moniter of some sort, a tv, and several things on rods.

"Why don't you lay right there, Miss Shock." Dr. Lank said sweetly. I nod numbly and lay down on the hospital bed.

"Put this on, dear." She tells me, tossing me a paper shirt.

"Uhm.." I hold it up, confused. "How?" I ask uncertainly. She chuckles.

"Take anything on your upper torso off, me and your...friend will leave the room." she smiles, gesturing for Lock to follow her out. Lock casts me a confused glance and two thumbs up; hes frightened but supportive at the same time.

Once Lock and Doctor Lank have left me alone, I slip out of my clothes and into the shirt. I fold my clothes neatly and place them on the end of the bed. Normally, I wouldn't bother folding my clothes, but I was buying time here. I climbed slowly back into the bed, smoothing out the crackly outfit that made me feel like a paper doll. A knock on the door made me jump.

"Shock? May we come in yet?" Dr. Lank asked. She was so proper, it was kind of annoying.

"Sure." I called back, knowing very well my voice betrayed my "confident" act.

Lock and Dr. Lank re-entered the room, Lock taking a seat in one of the gray chairs, and Dr. Lank beginning to sort through some medical equiptment far too advanced for my common knowledge.

"What we're going to do.." started Dr. Lank as she rummaged through some cabinets, "is take an ultra-sound, which is basically where you get to see your baby."

"How?" Lock asked curiously, and I realized for the first time he might actually be curious about our baby, maybe as curious as I was.

"We'll see it on that screen." She pointed to a tv-looking device with a gray screen (surprise surprise, everything here was gray).

"How?" I asked. Dr. Lank smiled. "I'm going to put this jelly-like stuff on your stomach, and then take a sonar device and place it on your stomach, and on the screen, an image of your baby will show up."

I could tell she was dumbing everything down for us, and I was grateful. I don't think I would've been able to understand the proper words for it. I just nodded.

"Okay." I replied simply.

"This is going to be a bit cold." she warned me.

"Okay." I said again. She lifted up the bottom of the paper shirt and squeezed cold goop onto my stomach. I gasped at how cold it was, like ice.

"Sorry." apologized Dr. Lank.

"S'okay." I said, doing my best to stay still. She put down the tube and replaced it with an electronic-looking device, which she began moving around on my stomach.

"Look at the screen." she told Lock and I. We both eagerly glanced at the screen, waiting for our first glimpse of our baby.

We saw nothing.

"Hm..that's not unusual, sometimes it just takes a moment to find the little guy." The doctor reassured us. My eyes stayed glued to the screen, waiting to see the shape of my baby inside me. Still, I saw nothing.

"Hmm.." Dr. Lank muttered. She took out another device, different from the one she was holding, and pressed it to my stomach. After a few moments of staring at my stomach and the screen by turns, she put both devices down.

"If you'd excuse me for just a moment." she said politely, stepping out of the room. When she was gone, I gave Lock a confused look.

"What is this all about?" he asked, sounding annoyed and confused.

"I don't know...it's weird.." I answered, dumbfounded. I stared at the screen of the tv thingy.

A couple minutes later, Dr. Lank reappeared. She had a serious look on her face, as she picked up the electronic device again and pressed it to my stomach.

"What is it?" I asked uncertainly.

"Not what you'd expect." she answered. She sighed then, putting down the device and looking at me. Her expression was one of sympathy.

"I'm very sorry Shock, but your baby...well..."

"WHAT?" I blurted, suddenly very scared. I could feel my heart thumping in my chest.

"You've had a miscarriage. I'm sorry. You are no longer pregnant." her face was reserved, but apologetic.

"What?" I gasped, astounded. I heard Lock's sharp intake of breath.

"I'm not...pregnant?" I managed weakly.

"No."

"My baby...?"

"Is dead." she finished for me. Despite her sympathetic expression, her tone was almost cold, and it brought chills to my spine.

"I'll let you two be alone for a moment." and with that, Doctor Patricia Lank left the room.

Everything was quiet for a moment, then I wailed out: "How can our baby be dead?" I felt hot tears stinging the back of my eyes, and tried to blink them away.

Lock was at my bedside, his eyes shimmering with tears as well.

"I don't know." he answered softly.

"This isn't fair! Our baby can't be dead! There isn't any way! There must've been some mistake.." even as I say it, I know it's a lie. I can feel it, our baby is dead. There is no more life inside me. Just the shell of what could've been. The tears spill over then, and suddenly I am sobbing, crying for my baby I never knew.

It's life had ended before it had even lived.

I felt a strong hand on my shoulder, and turned my face towards it, meeting Lock's stomach.

"I can't believe it." I whisper into him.

"Neither can I." his voice is on the brink of tears, and I look up through my own waterfall to cup his face with my hand.

''This shouldn't be happening." I tell him.

"But it is." he says, and his tears begin to fall.

I cry a few moments longer, accompanied by Lock, and then I wipe my eyes. Crying won't save my dead baby. I push myself up and change back into my top, not caring that Lock is in the room. I am dressed, but I am shivering. Tears are still swimming in my eyes, blurring the edges of my vision. Lock wraps an arm around me, and I lean into him.

This can't be happening.

He opens the door to the room, and I walk numbly out of it.

This shouldn't be happening.

He pushes open the door to the clinic, and I am met by the cold, unforgiving december wind.

This is happening.

I squeeze my eyes shut to stop the tears, but they leak through my eyelashes and crawl down my face.

Lock and I head home, just the two of us.


	18. Dark Days

Disclaimer: I don't own Lock, Shock, Barrel, or any other NBC characters. I own Desdemona, though (jealous?).

REEEVIEWW

Author's Note: Well, folks, I am sad to say this is probably one of the last chapters in my fanfiction. It's been eventful, but no story can last forever, no matter how great. This isn't the last chapter, don't worry, but it's awfully close. Well, now that i've gotten myself depressed...chapter 18. Review :).

Chapter 18: Dark Days

Locks P.O.V

The cage chains clattered together as they lifted a silent Shock and myself into the treehouse. A foggy mist had begun, a promise of rain.

How kind it was for the sky to mourn with us.

I caught sight of Barrel and Desdemona snuggled together on the couch, their eyes half closed and dreamy. I felt a sudden anger. Why should they get to be so happy? They didn't have a sorrow, a pain. Nothing. They were ultimately and obviously in love. Well, as much love as you can be in over the course of a few months.

I pushed the bars open for Shock, who walked numbly past me. She began heading silently towards the hall.

"How was it?" Barrel asked casually, not bothering to look up. If he had, he would've seen Shock freeze for a moment, her nails pinching her palms and her top teeth trying to eat her bottom lip.

"Did you see your baby?" Desdemona asked, her gaze locked on Barrel. I felt a hiccup of pain wash through me, followed immediately by anger.

How dare they sit there all lovey-dovey, not bothering to look up and see the broken hearts of their two best friends?

Was my heart even broken? I wondered. Yes. Yes, it was. I knew it, I felt it. I didn't know why, couldn't explain it. I hadn't wanted this baby, for a while i'd been hoping for an abortion. But when Shock and I made the decision to keep it in our lives, I had unknowingly began to look foward to it. I had imagined being the father of a handsome baby boy, who would grow up to be the craftiest trickster in Halloween Town. Better than me, even. Or maybe the dad of a beautiful little girl with an obsession for the color purple and a devil tail. I don't understand it myself, but I knew it hurt more than any explanation can explain.

I was positive I had lost something valuable.

It was like having a rug ripped out from under you, but one that you didn't even know was there. The first rug was pulled out from under your feet, and you fall.  
And after a few moments, you stand again, thinking it's okay now, only to realize you're standing on another rug right as it's pulled away. A rug you didn't even see, or suspect was there.

When no one answered, Desdemona finally took the liberty of looking up. Her face changed to surprise as she took in Shock, pale as bone, and me, red as a tomato.

"What happened?" she asked, astonished. Barrel looked up too, his expression changing to disbelief.

"I-" I started, then stopped. I didn't know how to explain. Just then, Shock broke into a heart-wrenching, breath-taking sob, teetering then collapsing. I rushed over and caught her just before she hit the floor.

She burried her head into me, tears leaking into my shirt and staining it with sorrow. Desdemona was on her feet, helping Shock stand up and leading her to the couch. I followed, sitting next to her. She turned into me again, automatically. I knew she never liked to cry in public, she must be in serious pain.

Even more than me.

"What happened? What's wrong?" Barrel asked, slightly frantic. He looked upset and worried, two emotions I never expected from Barrel.

"Our baby." I choked out. "It's dead." I felt tears spring to my own eyes, and Shock's sobs increased in volume.

Desdemona opened her mouth to shout out something, but Barrel cut her off, whispering "How?"

"Miscarriage." Shock choked out, removing her head from my tear and snot streaked shoulder and sniffling.

"I don't know what I did wrong, but it's dead." Her eyes welled with more tears, waterfalls gushing down her face.

"You didn't do anything, baby." I whispered to her. She shook her head no, closing her eyes. Even so, tears still spattered.

"I..." Desdemona started, but didn't finish.

"I know." I said, pretty evenly considering how I felt. "Me too."

No one said anything more, and I helped Shock go to her room. I tucked her into bed like she was five, pulling the blankets up over her shoulders, which were still heaving, and tucking it under her wet chin.

"I'm sorry." she whispered. My heart almost broke a second time. I layed down next to her, wrapping an arm over her shoulder.

"Don't be sorry. You didn't do anything wrong." I told her. She shook her head against the sheets.

"I must've, because it's dead, and it shouldn't be." her voice was low. I lowered my own voice to match hers.

"It wasn't your fault." I filled my tone with empathy and conviction. I knew it wasn't her fault, it wasn't anyones. As much as I wanted to blame someone for my anger, I knew there was no one to blame. Not Shock, not the doctor, and not even me. Somethings just happen. It's getting through them that's the hard part.

Shock whimpered and pressed herself to me. I secured my arm around her body, as if I could protect her from the pain.

How do you protect someone from something inside them already?

I rested my chin on her head, falling asleep to the scent of Shock's hair and fresh tears.

Shocks P.O.V

When I woke up, the rain was pelting hard against my window, the wind blowing it in sheets across the town. I layed in bed for a while, listening to the rain pound its' angry fists against the roof and Lock's even breathing. I felt impossibly sad, depressed to the point of hopelessness. I didn't want to move, eat, breathe.  
I knew I couldn't let the one issue take control of my life, but it seemed hard to not let it do just that at the moment.

It had died inside me.

I had carried death.

I wanted to scream at these thoughts. I willed them to be false. I prayed for the first time in my life, that this was a dream, and i'd wake up and be pregnant. No, not even that. I prayed i'd wake up and it would be me, Lock and Barrel. Just us. No one else. I prayed this was all a horrendous dream and i'd wake up and be eight or nine or ten again, and I wouldn't tell anyone of my strange dream, and Lock, Barrel and I would go into town and pull pranks on the citizens and preform a possibly illegal task for Jack and everything would be normal.

But I knew that that would never happened.

That was a dream, this was reality. I wasn't going to wake up, I was already awake. I couldn't dream this much pain.

Lock rolled over then, yawning and fluttering his eyelids. They opened, focused on my face, and then he smiled.

"Morning beautiful." he said, reaching a hand out to stroke my cheek. I closed my eyes and smiled, lingering in his touch.

He was my one relief.

"Morning." I whispered.

"How are you?" he asked skeptically. That was another thing I loved about Lock; he didn't beat around the bush.

"Depressed." I answered truthfully. He nodded. "Me too." he said. "But it's okay. We can get through this."

I nodded, wishing I could believe him.

All day the rain pounded, never letting up. It was constant backround noise to the incidents in the house. Most likely, it was the loudest noise. Desdemona tried to talk to me, and I explained faintly to her what had happened at the doctor's clinic. She had inquired for more, but i'd given her a look that had her hurrying away. Barrel was bad at advice-giving and sympathy, but he pulled me into his arms nonetheless, like the not-so-little-anymore brother I was starting to view him as. He told me he was so sorry, and that he was sad he wasn't going to be an uncle. I mustered up a fake smile and told him that he would've made a great aunt. He wrinkled his nose at my sarcasm.

Lock and I often met gazes, but never spoke, for fear we might start crying. We shared a silent grief, and I could tell he was pained as much as me.

For a while, I would stare out the window, contemplating the gray drops of liquid. Their lives were so short. Impossibly so. They fell from the sky at top speed, plummeting to the ground and dying, just like that. Their watery guts were spilled out on the ground in dark gray blobs, mixing and mingling with others until the earth was soaked to the core with them. And people just walked right through them. As if they weren't anything at all. They splashed in puddles and stepped on the remnants of what had once been a million crystal raindrops, falling freely through the sky.

Did the raindrops know they were going to die?

Did my baby know?

I quietly stepped into the cage, drew it down, and stepped out. I climbed a nearby tree and sat, rain dripping down from the leaves and the sky, until I, too, was covered in the remains of their watery figures. I watched them cast a dark shadow on the world, staining everything wet. I felt them drip down my back, tangle themselves in my hair, seep into my skin. I gave them company with my own raindrops, falling slowly down my cheeks.

I don't know how much time had passed before Lock found me there, staring into space. He begged me to come down, but I was gone, lost. I couldn't find my voice, even if I had wanted to speak. Finally, he climbed the tree and carried me down on his back. He led me, dripping and shivering, into the house, and sat me down on the kitchen floor.

"Shock? Are you okay?" he asked slowly.

I wanted to tell him no. I wanted to tell him yes. Instead, I said, "Do the raindrops know? That they're going to die?"

He tucked me into bed again. I knew they were all fearful for me, I could hear them whisper about it. I wanted to tell them I was alright, but I wasn't.

I was depressed.

I couldn't think without thoughts of my baby, couldn't understand how it had died. Had it been slow? Quick? Painful?

I stayed silent for days. The rain cleared, repleaced by snow. Snow died slower.

One day, as the snow fell listlessly to the ground, and I lay in my bed, Lock came in. He said nothing, only came to my bed, layed down next to me. He stared into my distant eyes.

Then he spoke.

"I don't think they know." he told me. I looked at him, no expression whatsoever.

He continued.

"I don't think the raindrops know they're going to die." he looked at me cautiously. "I think, they just die. They don't even suspect it, not one bit. How could they, when no one's told them what death is?"

I stared at him, my eyes slowly welling with tears. We both knew he wasn't talking about the raindrops.

I cried.

I cried long and hard, snotting and turning my bed into a soggy cushion. I cried for myself, for Lock, for my baby. I cried for the raindrops that died and the snow that was dying and for the snow that didn't know it was going to die. I cried for everything.

My face turned hot and red and blotchy, and I got a throbbing headache. Then my face turned cold and pale, and my stomach began to cramp.

And then, the tears stopped. I blinked through them, to see Lock's own glossy eyes. I wiped the tears away with the back of my hand.

No more came.

"I love you." I croaked to him. He smiled softly.

"I love you." he told me, and I did something incredible. I smiled back.

"Are you okay now?" he asked me.

I nodded. "I think." I said. He smiled bigger, and pulled me off the bed. I stood close to him, staring up at his face. And then he kissed me. It was the first time he kissed me since the miscarriage, and probably the best kiss of my life. It was soft, gentle, not demanding in any way. It was filled with sorrow, pain, longing-but not lust, depression, carefullness, as if my lips would break under his.

These were not the emotions people would normally associate with love and kisses, but when you're in love- true, undeniable, unrelinquishable love, it is filled with every emotion, of every sort. You can't have joy without pain, can't have happiness without sorrow, can't have sympathy without anger. You can't have love without hate. Hate is the only emotion as strong as love, and although it is love's opposite, they always seem to come together.

Opposites attract.


	19. Merry Christmas, Halloween Town

Disclaimer: I don't own Lock, Shock, or Barrel...*sniffles*

Authors Note: Ah! Chapter 19! I'm sad to say, this is the final chapter in this fic. Thank you to all my faithful reviewers, I luv you tons! Hopefully, this chapter will be happier, I want to end this on a high note. I must say, i'm sad myself to see this story end, but I had major fun writing it! I am considering the possibility of a sequel, possibly set a few years into the future. But if I do decide to do one, it won't be for a little while. Oh well, enough of me ranting, here is...chapter 19! *applause*

Chapter 19: Merry Christmas, Halloween Town

Shocks P.O.V

Although the days leading up to Christmas weren't exactly very "merry," Lock, Barrel, Desdemona and I went about as cheerful as possible, decorating the tree house in appropriate attire. We strung red lights across the edge of the roof, either side of the bridge, and around the tube we once used for Oogie Boogie's personal gain. We found ourself a Christmas tree; a shabby little thing with browning needles and drooping branches. It was about as tall as me, when I was wearing my witch hat. We decorated it in ornaments, strings of candy, and a glowing spider atop it's peak.

At night, we would watch Christmas flicks on tv, listen to strange stories Desdemona told of her Christmas's when she was alive, and drink hot chocolate with mini marshmellows; anything to get into the Christmas feeling.

Although my spirits were brightening as the calander approached the twenty-fifth of December, I couldn't help but have a small part of me feel upset. "This could be merrier." I thought to myself, but I didn't dare think the reason why.

On Christmas eve day, I woke and headed into the kitchen. Barrel sat at the table, a reindeer-shaped chocolate treat in his hand. He grinned at me around a mouthful of sweets as I sat down in a chair across from him. Propping my elbows on the table and laying my chin in my hands, I leaned towards Barrel and whispered;

"So what'd you get Desdemona?"

Barrel stopped mid-chew for a moment, then finished chewing and swallowed with a loud gulp.

"None of your business." he said, like he was two. I rolled my eyes.

"You're so immature." I griped. He just flashed me one of his infamous grins and continued eating his chocolate reindeer.

I have to admit, I was excited and nervous about Christmas, despite the recent tradgedy. I was excited to see what Lock got me, as well as Barrel and Desdemona.  
But especially Lock. I wondered for hours what he would get me, or had already gotten me. Would it be jewelery? A new witch hat? A broomstick? The possibilities were endless, and I was dying to know, or even for the slightest clue. I had tried to cunningly trick it out of him, but he'd caught on (damn him for being so smart) and told me I wouldn't know till Christmas.

I can even imagine his mocking tone.

Suddenly, I was gifted with an idea so wonderful, I almost burst out laughing. It was so obvious, why hadn't I seen it before? All I had to do was sneak into Lock's room and find where he was hiding it! I was the master at finding things, this should be a piece of cake.

Casually, I stood and left the kitchen. I checked to see if Lock was in the living room, like I suspected, but all I found was Desdemona, sitting close to the screen obsorbed in some morbid cartoon. When she heard my footsteps creak along the floorboards, she turned her head towards me and grinned.

"Hey, Shock. It's Christmas Eve! Well, almost. Christmas Eve Day. What's up?"

I briefly wondered if she'd put too much sugar in her cereal. "Uh...morning." I said, shaking my head. "Have you seen Lock?"

"Nope. Sorry." she shrugged and turned back to the tv in time to see a green cartoon character get blown to bloody bits. "Sweet." she murmured. I left the living room and headed down the hallway. It was then I heard running water. I tip-toed to the bathroom door, as if I was trying not to be heard, and twisted the knob.

It didn't budge.

I pressed my ear against the door and was met by the sound of running water and Lock's soft singing. I snickered into my palm; he was singing in the shower.  
Boyfriend or not, I was deffinitly going to make fun of him for this one. I retreated down the hallway, and paused outside his door. It was shut, maybe even locked. Red sharpie covered his door. I looked up and down the hallway, making sure the coast was clear. When I saw no one, I twisted the knob.

It turned willingly, and I pushed it open a crack.

"Whatcha doing?"

"Gah!" I exclaimed, releasing the rusty knob and jumping backwards. When I saw who had frightened me, I glared, my emotions changing to annoyance.

"Barrel. What do you want?"

"I want...to know what you're doing." he said, somewhat slowly, as if I was stupid. I crossed my arms across my chest.

"I left something in Lock's room." I lied easily.

"OoooOooo." Barrel chuckled, making me blush red.

"What?" I challenged.

Barrel shook his head. I knew he could tell from my tone not to mess with me, but being Barrel I wasn't sure if he would take the hint. He seemed to, though, and turned around before walking away. I glared after him until he turned the corner, then returned my gaze to Lock's door. It had opened a crack, and so I pushed it open the whole way, cringing at the eery creek it gave as it did so.

I stepped into a landmine of clothes and junk. The floor was littered with every article of clothing imaginable: shirts, pants, socks, sweaters, boxers, pajamas, shoes. Old comic books were standing in crooked and uneven stacks by his bed, one of the stacks knocked over and sprawled across the floor. His bed was an unmade blob of red comforters, and on his windowsill sat a murky glass of water.

"Ew." I muttered. I never knew a guy so hot could have a room so disgusting. I picked my way across his floor, deciding to start with his closet. I pushed aside the two wooden doors, and was met by the sight of a metal pole with empty hangers. Beneath the hangers was a mass of clothing, and from the smell of them, I easily deduced this was his "dirty laundry" pile. A pair of shoes still inside their shoebox lay pushed against the wall. On the shelf above were several Jack Skellington action figures, and more comic books. I stared disbelievingly; how could he have MORE?

I stood on my tiptoes and began groping with my hand on the top shelf. I felt something hard and smooth.

"Ahha!" I murmured, gripping the object, which felt square, and pulling it off the shelf. Once in my hands, I stared at it, dumbfounded. Whatever this was, it clearly wasn't my present. It was a dark blue shiny book. It had no title. Curiously, I opened it to the first page. In large but messy handwriting, the words "KEEP OUT, PROPERTY OF LOCK" were written. My eyes widened at the realization of what this was.

This was Lock's diary.

I casually flipped to the next page, but stopped. Would Lock really want me going through his diary? No. Obviously not. On normal circumstances, I wouldn't have cared the slightest, and would've eagerly flipped through the whole thing. But I wasn't in here to find Lock's diary. I knew my time was limited, and I wanted to find my Christmas present more than I wanted to read Lock's diary (at the moment). Besides, it would probably be here later, I could always come back.

With a sigh, I placed Lock's diary back on the shelf and stepped out of the closet.

Where else would he keep it?

I decided to check under the bed. Maybe it was too big for the top shelf of his closet. I lowered myself onto my stomach and reached my hand under his bed. I moved my hand around, but only made contact with wood. Was it further back? I scooted forward on my stomach, so my head was nearly under the bed. I felt around curiously, until my fingers made contact with something...

"Shock?" a curious voice asked me. I froze mid-grope and turned my head to face the figure in the doorway. Lock stood, bare-chested, with a towel wrapped around his waist, his dripping hair plastered to his forehead. One of his eyebrows was arched, while the other was pushing down.

"Uh...hi?" I said, blushing. Great, he'd caught me.

"Hi. What are you doing?" he asked me skeptically.

"Uhhh..." I stalled, hoping to think of a good lie. When nothing came to mind, I retracted my hand from under his bed and pushed myself up onto my knees.

"Nothing." I said, trying to sound nonchalant. I casually dusted off my shoulders.

"Really? 'Cause it LOOKED like you were trying to find your Christmas present." he said, taking a step toward me.

I laughed uneasily. "Did it?" I managed.

"Yeah. Were you, Shock?" he asked, approaching me. I looked up at his towering form.

"Er, was I what?" I asked, playing dumb.

"Looking for your Christmas present." he stated.

"What is this "Christmas" you speak of?" I asked, standing on my feet.

"Shock-" Lock started, but I ran from his room. I dashed down the hall to my room, slamming the door behind me. I slid down it and on my butt, panting.

"That was close." I whispered to myself, before standing back up and heading to my bed. I reached into a large hole in my wall and retrieved three objects, one at a time.

I layed them out in front of me on the bed, and studied each one. The first one was a dark blue v-neck wool sweater. It was extremely girly despite it's color, and not at all my style. Which is why it suited Desdemona perfectly. She was tiny, so i'd bought the smallest size they had. The second object was actually two things, both too small to be one gift, but together they would do. The first was a large bag full of multi-flavored lollipops, and the second was a giant black widow spider. And not just any black widow spider, it happened to be the exact same black widow spider the Mayor used as he bow-tie. I knew Barrel would know exactly where it came from immediately, and love it. He loved anything causing the Mayor distress.

I scruntinized the third present. Lock's present. I had pondered for hours on what to get him, and searched even longer. It had to be perfect, if it was for Lock. Finally, i'd decided on the best gift I could come up with, a gift any devil would be ecstatic to recieve. A pitchfork.

I'd picked out the best damn pitchfork I could find. It was a shiny, blood red, with intricate gold patterns along it's handle. On the right prong, the words "Three of a Kind" were engraved in gold script. On the middle prong, in the same golden script, were the words "Birds of a Feather." And on the left prong, in the same color and font as the others, were the words "Now and Forever." I had had the pitchfork personally engraved.

I hoped with all my heart that Lock would like it. I decided I might as well do some wrapping. Pulling out a roll of green wrapping paper, I began wrapping the presents to the best of my abilities (which, honestly, weren't that good).

Once i'd managed to wrap all three presents, I placed them neatly back into the hole in my wall and left my room.

I found Barrel and Desdemona curled up on the couch, and Lock leaning against the back of it. All three of them turned to look at me when I entered.

Barrel, being a wise-ass, asked right away "So, you don't know what Christmas is?"

I glared at him and smacked him hard on the arm, causing him to flinch. Lock chuckled.

"Anyone want to go into town with me?" I asked. Lock immediately sprung up.

"Sure." he agreed easily. "Same here." Barrel agreed. He turned to Desdemona questioningly, but she shook her head and yawned.

"I'm going to take a nap. Have fun." she said. Barrel shrugged, kissed her cheek, and headed towards the elevator cage. Desdemona disappeared down the hallway, and Lock and I joined Barrel in the cage. All three of us descended.

As we walked into town, I realized this was the first time the three of us had done anything as JUST the three of us for a very long time. It felt nice.

We headed into town, through the decorated gates. We paused in awe for a moment. The whole town was covered in lights of every color, big wreaths hung off several doors, and tattered red bows hung on the gates to the cemetary.

"OooOoo." Barrel sang, pointing a finger above us. Lock and I both looked up, and caught sight of the mistle-toe above us. I blushed slightly and noticed he did the same.

"Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!..." Barrel chanted. I shrugged my shoulders and pulled Lock into a kiss. I crushed my lips to his, delivering a smoldering, passionate, yet light and quick kiss. When I released his mouth, his eyes were slightly glazed, and he had a small smile on his face. I interlocked my hand with his.

"Happy?" I asked Barrel. He stood with his mouth agape.

"Y-Yeah." he said after a moment, and began walking, Lock and I following.

"This is pretty snazzy...for Halloween Town." Lock said, his breath fogging. The sun was already beginning to smolder, bringing promises of night.

"Yeah." I agreed. The three of us set off into town, for once not to cause havoc, at least not on purpose. Havoc just kind of had its own way of finding us.

Not many creatures were around, most of them probably enjoying the on-coming night and the closeness of Christmas. I wondered if Christmas Town celebrated Halloween.

Hmm...

Just then, a low grunt from Barrel snapped my head up. Standing in front of us was Jack and Sally, and of course their children.

"Hello Lock, Shock, Barrel." Jack said, smiling. "What brings you here?"

"Ah, nothing. Just visiting." Lock said, with such sincerity in his voice Jack's smile visibly brightened; he was obviously relieved we weren't around to damage anything. On purpose, at least.

"Where's Desdemona?" Sally asked in a motherly voice. She was everyone's freaking mother. Instead of annoying me, though, I only admired her for it.

"Taking a nap." Barrel answered. I saw the Skellington boy, Alec, roll his eyes. A clear case of jealousy.

"What are YOU guys doing out?" I asked Jack.

"Oh, just checking a few things, making sure everything's decorated well for Christmas." Jack replied breezily.

"Mommy, UP!" the tiniest Skellington girl commanded. Sally willingly complied, lifting the blue-skinned girl into her arms, and kissing her black hair.

I felt an odd stir in my stomach, and felt tears sting my eyes. I surpressed it.

"Well, I guess we'd better be on our way." Jack nodded to Sally, who smiled at us warmly.

"Merry Christmas, Lock, Shock and Barrel." Sally said. Jack and her then walked off, trailed by their other daughter and two sons. The oldest son shoved himself into Barrel's shoulder.

"Merry Christmas." he said scornfully, sarcastically.

"I'll take 'merry' and 'christmas' and shove them BOTH up your fat ass." Barrel called, just loudly enough for Alec to hear. He whipped around on his heels,  
boney fists clenched.

"Alec?" Sally called behind her. "Coming?"

Alec glared at his mother before complying, and following her, casting evil glares over his shouler.

"Run to mommy!" Barrel chided.

"That kid's got issues." I commented.

"Serious ones." Lock agreed.

"Well, i've had my fair share of town, let's go." Barrel said. Lock and I didn't protest, only followed. We arrived home as the dark settled in, promising Christmas in the next light. I shivered in anticipation. I could tell my comrades were just as excited by the way they nervously paced back and forth, eating or fulfilling some sort of chore. I called it a night early, eager to get to sleep so I could wake up.

That night, I dreamed. I dreamed I was encased in Lock's arms, staring down at a orange bundle in our arms. Staring back from that bundle was a tiny green baby with a purple barbed tale, fiery red curls, and indigo eyes. This bundle, this baby, reached a tiny hand out and touched my cheek. All at once, I was surrounded by every sort of candy, standing in a snowy feild. No, not snow. Sugar. A sugar feild, with a gumdrop moon shining down on me. I eagerly began swallowing food whole. All at once, the moon turned to the sun and the sugar turned to sand and I was in a desert. There was a smoldering fire in the distance, and it was approaching. As it got closer, I could see it was Lock. He came so close it singed my eyebrows, and he grabbed me in an embrace that was too hot.

"I love you." His hot lips whispered into my ear, and I leaned into kiss him, but stopped when the hot turned to cold. I opened my eyes and I was underwater, a million faces floating around me. Then Sally's face appeared, hair streaming, and she spoke.

"I know you are sad, I know you are in pain, but life's greatest gift is being with the ones you love, the ones you have, and not wanting what you cannot be gifted."

"But how can I be happy when i've lost something more precious than anything?" I asked her face.

"You must live on. When the moment is right, your most precious gift will be given. You may be gifted several precious gifts, each seeming the most precious. You already were gifted precious gifts. You will be gifted again in the future." Sally said wisely.

"I will be?" I asked.

"Have faith. Faith." Sally said. That one word materialized itself, bubbling into the water and surrounding me. It lifted me on a pocket of bubbles, drove me to the surface, closer, closer, the light was getting brighter, and then the surface broke-

-and I sat upright in bed. Light shone onto my floor through my window in a square. I rubbed my eyes, one word running through my head: faith.

Yes, I would have faith. I would have faith that, when the time was right, I would be gifted with a baby. I would have faith that each moment would swell with adventures, fun, and love. I would have faith. In fact, I would have faith right now. Faith that Lock made waffles and Barrel got me a good Christmas present.

I sprung out of bed and dashed into the living room.

"About time!" yelled Desdemona. Barrel rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"She's been up since seven o'clock a.m." he said, smiling fondly at her. She grinned and giggled.

Lock smiled at me and took my hand.

"Merry Christmas." he said as I sat next to him.

"Merry Christmas." I said back, beaming. This was the happiest i'd been in weeks.

"Who's going to open their presents first?" Desdemona asked excitedly.

"Who cares?" Barrel said back, snatching his present from Lock. "Let's get to opening!" and with that, he tore the paper off his present.

"Oooh! Thanks buddy!" Barrel declared excitedly, clapping Lock on the back and admiring the set of first edition comic books. I rolled my eyes. Typical.

Desdemona grabbed her present from me and opened it. She admired it, thanking me greatly, and folded it neatly.

"I love it!" she assured me, before reaching for her next present.

My Christmas went well, I recieved a book of potions and spells from Desdemona, and new purple dress from Barrel. I thanked them both, quite excitedly. I was genuinly pleased with my gifts.

Barrel and Desdemona exchanged gifts then. Lock and I both watched as they shared a passionate kiss after Barrel had clipped the heart-shaped locket around Desdemona's neck.

"And another thing." Barrel said, handing Desdemona an oval-ish gift. Lock and I exchanged a confused glance, similar to Desdemona's. We all wondered what it could be. Desdemona carefully peeled away the paper, revealing a shiny, white porcelien mask. It was similar to that of ''the scream'' from a painting i'd once seen, dark eye holes and a gaping black-painted mouth. The mask of a ghost.

"Oh, Barrel, is this really-?"

"Yes. If you want it to be." Barrel said, gazing hopefully at her. She nodded, obviously too stunned to speak.

"I would love to." she said. She tried the mask on, and sure enough, it fit her perfectly. I couldn't help but grin, now she could hide her identity, like us, even though it would be no secret who she was, just like it was no secret who WE were.

I turned to Lock, then, smiling. He smiled back.

"Go on, open what I got you." I told Lock. He grinned as I handed him the long, ugly-wrapped parcel. He opened it eagerly, not one for waiting. When he saw it, he gasped. He held it delicately, as if it would break, but of course it wouldn't, it was made out of the strongest metal in Halloween Town.

His fingers lightly traced the gold patterns, and he smiled as he read the engravement. After a long moment, he looked at me, smiling hugely.

"Thank you. I love it. I really, really do." he said. I blushed pink and smiled back.

"I was hoping you'd like it." I said. He took my hands in his.

"I love it." he clarified. He kissed me softly, but held it, just long enough to leave me breathless.

"Go ahead, open yours." he told me. I grinned and took the long package in my hand. I hoped it was what I thought it was...

I wripped aside the paper, revealing exactly what i'd hoped for. A broomstick! Its handle was sleek, a dark, polished wood. An assortment of uneven sticks were tied together with a large brown silk band. It was smooth to the touch. Engraved near the top were the words "I love you."

"Aw, Lock! This is exactly what I wanted, thank you so much! I love it! I love you, too!" I threw my arms around his neck, kissing him fully on the lips. I held it there for just a moment, but it was long enough to make us both dizzy.

"Ah, there's one another thing.." Lock said, and I gave him a curious look. He reached into the uneven sticks of my broom and reappeared with a necklace. I gasped at its beauty.

On a delicate silver chain hung a tiny purple amythest. It was the simplest, most beautiful necklace i'd ever seen. He hooked it around my neck, brushing my hair out of the way and making me shiver. Once it was fastened, I turned around and kissed him.

I leaked myself into him, pouring love and happiness and sweetness into our quick, tender kiss. He pulled back and smiled, and I was quick to return it.

I loved him.

Sitting on the floor of the treehouse, a home that had been my home for as long as I could remember, I felt a surge of warmth run through me. It settled in my stomach, making everything fuzzy and bright. Barrel and Desdemona were cuddled together, admiring their gifts. Lock and I were hand in hand, side by side, truly in love. A light snow had begun, and everything was soft and brilliant. I felt tears spring to my eyes, truly touched by the moment unfolding before us.

I realized that this one probably one of the most precious gifts I could ever recieve. I settled my head on Lock's shoulder, surrounded by pure bliss.


End file.
